DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Politics and Government

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in improving the security situation in Afghanistan.

Des Browne: holding answer 17 July 2007
	The security situation in Afghanistan remains stable if fragile in places. The Afghan army with the International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) continue to undertake operations to improve the security situation and extend the authority of the Government of Afghanistan across the country. The Taliban are not able to hold territory in the face of offensive action by Afghan and International Security Assistance Forces but they are able to threaten security in parts of eastern and southern Afghanistan by means of improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers and small-scale ambushes.
	In Helmand, recent operations have expanded ISAF influence around Sangin and Gereshk, enabling increased development activities, such as work on the irrigation system in Sangin.

Armed Forces: Manpower

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of each Monthly Manning Report for the Armed Forces on the date of its publication.

Bob Ainsworth: I have arranged for a copy of the Army Monthly Manning Report, dated 1 March 2007, to be placed in the Library of the House.
	Due to the introduction of a new personnel administration system for the Army during March 2007, this report is currently suspended.
	No equivalent Monthly Manning Report is produced for the naval service or Royal Air Force.

Military Bases: Wales

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for the construction and occupation of the new military training academy at MOD St. Athan.

Derek Twigg: Metrix Consortium have been declared the preferred bidder for package 1 of the Defence training review programme. For package 2 there is a significant affordability gap and work has been ongoing to develop a whole programme solution. The scale of the facility to be constructed at St. Athan will therefore depend on the outcome of this further work with Metrix. Our current forecast indicates that construction at the St. Athan site is planned to start after contract signature in late 2008, or early 2009, with the final phase of completion scheduled for 2013.

Trident

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure has been incurred since 14 March 2007 on  (a) the Trident D5 missile life extension programme and  (b) the initial review of the need to replace the Vanguard-class ballistic-missile submarine platform for Trident D5 nuclear weapons systems.

Des Browne: holding answer 18 July 2007
	No expenditure has been incurred since 14 March 2007 on the Trident D5 missile life extension programme. The programme to replace the Vanguard-class ballistic-missile submarine platform incurred expenditure of around £900,000 from 1 April to 30 June 2007, the most recent quarter for which information is available.

PRIME MINISTER

Departments: Pay

David Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of staff in the former Department of the Deputy Prime Minister in the last three years; and at what total cost;
	(2)  how many staff in the former Department of the Deputy Prime Minister have taken  (a) five or more,  (b) four,  (c) three and  (d) two periods of sick leave of less than five days in the last 12 months.

Gillian Merron: I have been asked to reply.
	The Deputy Prime Minister's Office was established in May 2006. Because of the small number of staff involved, disclosing the information requested could breach staff confidentiality. Information for periods before May 2006 is held by The Department for Communities and Local Government.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Departments: Buildings

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1640W, on Departments: buildings, what the role is of the employees of his Department occupying each building.

Gillian Merron: Information on the role of employees is provided in our departmental reports and annual resource accounts which are published on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/reports/

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departments: Disciplinary Proceedings

David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House how many people in her Office have been  (a) disciplined and  (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers in the last 12 months.

Helen Goodman: None.

Departments: Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants within her Office's areas of responsibilities in the last 12 months.

Helen Goodman: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons spent £316.96 on overnight accommodation for civil servants in the last 12 months.

Departments: Racial Harassment

David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which she is responsible have been  (a) investigated and  (b) upheld in the last 12 months.

Helen Goodman: None.

SCOTLAND

Departments: Advertising

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of advertising commissioned by his Department in the last 12 months;

David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not normally undertake advertising campaigns and in 2006-07 was involved in only a small number of advertisements for appointments.

Departments: Correspondence

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people are employed in his Department to work on ministerial correspondence.

David Cairns: Ministerial correspondence is processed by two clerical officers, who also undertake wider administrative functions. Drafting ministerial replies is part of the role of a pool of around 20 policy officials in addition to their other duties.

Departments: Disciplinary Proceedings

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in his Department have been  (a) disciplined and  (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers in the last 12 months.

David Cairns: None.

Official Visits

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions in the last 12 months the Secretary of State for Scotland visited Scotland in an official capacity.

Des Browne: holding answer 10 July 2007
	My predecessor visited Scotland on 18 occasions in his official capacity as Secretary of State for Scotland in the 12 month period to end June 2007. In addition to this, during weekends and parliamentary recesses my right hon. Friend also executed official responsibilities in Scotland. Since my appointment on 28 June, I have visited Scotland on one occasion in my capacity as Secretary of State for Scotland when I carried out a range of official responsibilities.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Basketball

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library a copy of the Mallin report on basketball.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I will place a copy of the independent Mallin review of basketball in the House Library following its anticipated publication later this month.

Casinos

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many consultations his Department has held on the proposals for new casinos as a result of the Gambling Act 2005.

James Purnell: There have been two consultations on the new casinos permitted under the Gambling Act 2005. These are:
	Gambling (Categories of Casino) Regulations and draft Order for the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005—Formal Consultation Exercise. The consultation closed in September 2006.
	Gambling Act 2005: Gambling (Inviting competing applications for Casino Premises Licences) Regulations. The consultation closed in May 2007.

Departments: Consultants

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) management consultants and  (b) external consultants and advisors were employed by his Department in each year since 2000.

Margaret Hodge: I am able to provide information on how many management consultants, external consultants and advisers were employed by DCMS in each year since 2000. However, the Department does not collect this information in separate categories in the format requested.
	
		
			   Management and external consultants  Advis e rs 
			 2000 2 1 
			 2001 12 1 
			 2002 10 1 
			 2003 14 1 
			 2004 10 2 
			 2005 13 3 
			 2006 17 3 
			 2007 to date 9 3

Museums and Galleries: West Midlands

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how much funding under the Renaissance initiative has the West Midlands been allocated in each year of the programme; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much Renaissance funding will be available for  (a) Herefordshire,  (b) the West Midlands and  (c) England in each of the next five years;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the distribution of Renaissance funding in  (a) Herefordshire,  (b) the West Midlands and  (c) England;
	(4)  what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Renaissance funding within the context of the comprehensive spending review in  (a) the West Midlands and  (b) England; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Investment by Renaissance in the regions in regional museums is as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 West Midlands region 25.1 
			 All English regions 138.2 
			 All English regions, plus national initiatives 149.2 
		
	
	The West Midlands is currently one of three English regions to have received proportionately more funding than the other six.
	It is not possible to provide a complete financial breakdown at the county level for all aspects of Renaissance, as the programme focuses on need and impact at the regional level. However, to date, Herefordshire has benefited directly from the following strands of Renaissance:
	£67,600 investment for a museum development officer post for Herefordshire for 2006-08;
	Museum service development grants funded by the Museum, Libraries and Archives Council in the West Midlands;
	Museum development funding focussed on the needs of small and medium sized museums;
	The skills development programme, providing training for museum professionals and volunteers; and
	Support from the five partner institutions in the West Midlands Renaissance hub which includes funding an accreditation adviser who has been working with museums in Herefordshire.

Sports: East Sussex

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many sports clubs there were in  (a) Eastbourne and  (b) East Sussex in each of the last 10 years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: DCMS does not hold the information requested. There is no central register for sports clubs in England.

Sports: VAT

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will discuss with the Chancellor of the Exchequer the removal of VAT on sports tuition to help schools and local councils provide sports training for young people.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to discuss the VAT treatment of tuition in sport with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. There is already a wide ranging exemption from VAT for education. This relief also covers most sports tuition in schools, and similar tuition by local authorities and charitable bodies that do not seek to make any profit from this activity.

Television: Scots Gaelic Language

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with Ofcom and the other strategic partners on a commitment to a date for first transmission by the Gaelic language television channel; and what the outcome of such discussions has been.

James Purnell: holding answer 18 July 2007
	None, but I understand that the Gaelic Media Service, the BBC and Ofcom are working together with the intention of launching the Gaelic Digital Service as soon as possible.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Climate Change: Legislation

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with Northern Ireland Ministers on the co-ordination of legislation on climate change across the UK.

Paul Goggins: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has not had any discussions with Northern Ireland Ministers about the co-ordination of legislation on climate change across the UK. However, Arlene Foster MLA, in her role as Northern Ireland's Environment Minister, met with David Miliband when he was Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss this issue and other matters, in June of this year. Also, officials in DEFRA and DOE(NI) remain in close contact as this work develops.

Department: Legislation

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criminal offences have been introduced by his Department in primary legislation since October 2006.

Paul Goggins: The criminal offences introduced by the Northern Ireland Office since October 2006 are shown in the following tables. For completeness both Acts and Orders in Council are included.
	
		
			  Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 
			  Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007  Offence 
			 Section 10 Disclosing juror information without lawful authority. 
			 Section 15 Failure to comply with a notice to provide information to NIHRC; failure to comply with an order made by a county court to provide such information; falsify anything provided or produced in accordance with a notice or order; or make a false statement in giving oral evidence in accordance with a notice. 
			 Section 16 Failing to comply with an order of the county court requiring a person not to obstruct NIHRC in investigating a place of detention. 
			 Section 21 Failing to stop when required to do so under that section (power of stop and question); refusing to answer a question; failing to answer a question to the best of his knowledge and ability 
			 Paragraph 8 of Schedule 3 Knowingly failing to comply with a requirement imposed under paragraph 3; or wilfully seeking to obstruct or frustrate a search of premises. 
			 Paragraph 9 of Schedule 3 Failing to stop when required to do so under paragraph 4 (stop and search). 
			 Section 26 Failing to stop a vehicle when required to do so. 
			 Section 27 Wilfully obstructing a member of Her Majesty's Forces in the exercise of a power under that section (document examination). 
			 Section 31 Interfering with works executed in connection with the exercise of powers in sections 29 and 30; or interfering with any apparatus, equipment or other thing used in connection with the exercise of those powers. 
			 Section 32(2) Interfering with road closure works or road closure equipment. 
			 Section 32(3) Executing bypass works within 200m of road closure works, having within his possession or under his control within 200m of road closure works, materials or equipment suitable for executing bypass works; or knowingly permitting on land occupied by him the doing or occurrence of anything which is an offence under this subsection. 
			 Paragraph 12 of Schedule 4 Offence of obtaining compensation or increased compensation by deception; and offence of knowingly making a false or misleading statement, making a statement which he does not believe to be true, or knowingly failing to disclose a material fact. 
			 Paragraph 4 of Schedule 6 Providing or offering to provide security services for reward without a licence. 
			 Paragraph 5 of Schedule 6 Publishing or causing to be published an advertisement for the provision for reward of security services by a person who does not hold a licence. 
			 Paragraph 6 of Schedule 6 Paying money in respect of the provision of security services to a person who does not hold a licence. 
			 Paragraph 8 of Schedule 6 In connection with an application for a security licence: making a statement which he knows to be false or misleading in a material particular; or recklessly making a statement which is false or misleading in a material particular. 
			 Paragraph 19 of Schedule 6 Failing to comply with paragraph 17(provision of information about new employees) or paragraph 18 (provision of information about a change of personnel). 
			 Paragraph 20 of Schedule 6 Failing to comply with a requirement to produce records of an employee for inspection. 
			 Paragraph 21 of Schedule 6 Making or keeping a record of a person employed as a security guard which he knows to be false or misleading in a material particular. 
		
	
	
		
			  Policing (Miscellaneous Provisions) (NI) Order 2007 
			  Policing (Miscellaneous Provisions) NI) Order 2007  Offence 
			 Article 12(2) Interfering with works executed or interfering with any apparatus, equipment or other thing used in connection with the exercise of the road closure power provided by Article 12(1). 
			 Schedule 5, Paragraph 2(3) Failure to give a (community support officer) CSO name and address where the CSO has reason to believe a person has committed a relevant offence 
			 Schedule 5, Paragraph 4(6) Making off while subject to a requirement to wait with a CSO for a period not exceeding 30 minutes for the arrival of a constable or making off while accompanying a CSO to a police station. 
			 Schedule 5, Paragraph 8(4) Failure to consent to being searched after refusal to surrender alcohol or tobacco. 
			 Schedule 5, Paragraph 9(4) Failure to give a CSO his name and address after a CSO finds, or reasonably believes a person to be in possession of a controlled drug

Departments: Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants within his Department's areas of responsibilities in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: The cost of overnight accommodation and subsistence for civil servants within the Northern Ireland Office's areas of responsibilities for the financial year 2006-07 was £512,000.
	The cost of overnight accommodation could be separated from this figure only at disproportionate cost.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many temporary advances issued to police officers in Northern Ireland  (a) attending courses outside Northern Ireland and  (b) performing operational duty outside Northern Ireland are outstanding; and what the total value is of those advances.

Paul Goggins: The total amount of outstanding advances to police officers at 30 June 2007 was £39,333.93.
	The information needed to provide a breakdown by activity is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) full-time,  (b) part-time reservist and  (c) full-time reservist police officers are employed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and what the comparable figures have been for the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: The police strength figures for the last 10 years are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  A s at 31 December  each year  Regular  Full-time reserve  Part-time reserve 
			 1997 8,485 2,982 1,324 
			 1998 8,456 2,936 1,238 
			 1999 8,445 2,719 1,174 
			 2000 8,268 2,555 1,097 
			 2001 7,149 2,256 1,032 
			 2002 7,129 1,862 952 
			 2003 7,323 1,645 868 
			 2004 7,484 1,419 909 
			 2005 7,490 1,060 844 
			 2006 7,534 793 781 
			 July 2007 7,413 675 863

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of  (a) full-time,  (b) part-time reservist and  (c) full-time reservist Police Service of Northern Ireland officers are (i) Catholic and (ii) Protestant; what the comparable figures were in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: In 1998 when Patten conducted his investigation, only 8.3 per cent. of regular officers were from the Catholic community. Under the temporary 50:50 provisions Catholic composition among regular officers has risen to 22.45 per cent. (as of 11 June 2007) with 2,699 recruits having been selected for appointment on a 50:50 basis.
	I am advised by PSNI that the percentage figures for community background of regular officers, part-time reserve and full-time reserve for the last 10 years is as set out in the following table. The figures have been compiled from the Annual Monitoring Returns to the Equality Commission and relate to 1 January of each year.
	
		
			   Percentage non-Catholic  Percentage Catholic  Percentage not determined  Total number 
			  ( a) Full- time 
			 1998 88.56 8.23 3.20 8,491 
			 1999 88.32 8.33 3.34 8,462 
			 2000 88.27 8.37 3.36 8,516 
			 2001 88.18 8.45 3.36 8,352 
			 2002 87.64 8.88 3.47 7,227 
			 2003 85.04 11.68 3.28 7,193 
			 2004 83.03 13.88 3.08 7,332 
			 2005 80.38 16.88 2.75 7,496 
			 2006 78.32 19.05 2.63 7,492 
			 2007 76.36 21.06 2.59 7,542 
			  
			  (b) Part-time reservist 
			 1998 93.88 4.83 1.28 1,324 
			 1999 93.78 4.93 1.29 1,238 
			 2000 93.84 4.88 1.28 1,168 
			 2001 93.80 4.83 1.37 1,097 
			 2002 93.56 5.15 1.29 1,010 
			 2003 93.42 5.20 1.38 942 
			 2004 93.50 5.11 1.39 861 
			 2005 93.21 5.57 1.22 898 
			 2006 92.62 6.05 1.33 826 
			 2007 92.49 6.35 1.17 772 
			  
			  (c) Full-time reservist 
			 1998 87.72 6.91 5.37 2,981 
			 1999 87.47 6.91 5.62 2,936 
			 2000 87.38 6.95 5.67 2,718 
			 2001 87.24 7.05 5.71 2,555 
			 2002 86.93 6.94 6.13 2,234 
			 2003 86.96 6.63 6.41 1,856 
			 2004 86.90 6.46 6.64 1,641 
			 2005 86.95 6.21 6.84 1,418 
			 2006 88.60 5.65 5.75 1,044 
			 2007 89.96 5.08 4.95 767

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civilian staff were employed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the RUC in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: The police civilian strength figures for the last 10 years are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  A s at 31 December  each year  Civilian 
			 1997 2,930 
			 1998 3,035 
			 1999 2,916 
			 2000 3,125 
			 2001 3,293 
			 2002 3,322 
			 2003 3,192 
			 2004 3,104 
			 2005 3,001 
			 2006 2,732 
			 July 2007 2,676

Police Service of Northern Ireland: Injuries

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland officers were injured while on duty in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The following information refers to the numbers of incidents of injury on duty (IOD) reported by police officers in the specified periods. As the table shows, these are split by the organisation between those that resulted in a period of sickness absence and those that did not.
	
		
			   Number of reported injuries on duty resulting in sickness absence  Number of reported injuries on duty not resulting in sickness absence  Total injuries on duty 
			 1997-98 1,197 1,012 2,209 
			 1998-99 1,354 1,050 2,404 
			 1999-2000 1,625 1,175 2,800 
			 2000-01 1,690 1,108 2,798 
			 2001-02 1,719 1,574 3,293 
			 2002-03 1,395 1,218 2,613 
			 2003-04 1,082 855 1,937 
			 2004-05 805 725 1,530 
			 2005-06 798 1,073 1,871 
			 2006-07 535 872 1,407

Prisons: Standards

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps will be taken to improve prison accommodation in Northern Ireland following the recent report from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

Paul Goggins: The recent Human Rights Commission report "The Prison Within—The imprisonment of women at Hydebank Wood 2004-06" was released on 5 July 2007. The research for this report was carried out some eighteen months ago since which time there has been significant progress in taking forward facilities and services for female prisoners.
	Female prisoners were relocated during 2006 while their original accommodation was refurbished and in-cell sanitation provided. They have since re-occupied the fully refurbished modern accommodation in Ash House which is now among the best in the prison estate. This unit includes a wing for long-term and enhanced prisoners and a dedicated exercise yard. Plans are underway to extend the health care centre to provide a dedicated facility for females and to build a new female reception area including a dedicated video link and drug testing unit which should be available by the end of this year.
	The current facility has an increased capacity of 69 cells complete with in-cell sanitation and includes specialist safer cells, listener cells, mother and baby units and an enhanced regime unit. There are no immediate plans to provide additional capacity within the current unit as this meets the Service's on-going needs, with 48 cells occupied as of 16 July 2007. In the longer term, NIPS is working towards the provision of more appropriate accommodation for female prisoners including a more discrete, self contained women's facility on the Hydebank Wood site, as recommended within the Human Rights Commission report. This provision, of course, is subject to the availability of funding.

Rape: Sentencing

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2007,  Official Report, column 662W, on rape: sentencing, what his assessment is of the level of sentences handed down by courts in Northern Ireland; and if he will take steps to ensure longer sentences are handed down.

Paul Goggins: Sentencing in individual cases is entirely a matter for the independent judiciary. We have however announced plans for changes to the statutory sentencing framework to introduce new public protection sentences for dangerous sexual and violent offenders. Under the proposals, dangerous sexual and violent offenders could receive extended public protection sentences whereby they could be detained in custody for the full term of their prison sentence. Those committing the most serious sexual and violent offences could receive indeterminate public protection sentences and could remain in prison for an indefinite period. I will be publishing draft legislative proposals shortly.

Young Offenders: Reoffenders

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the rate of re-offending is of people who have been held in young offender institutions in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: Information on rates of re-offending is not currently available. However, the latest published reconviction figures for those discharged from the Juvenile Justice Centre into the community show that of those discharged in 2001(1), 36 per cent. were reconvicted within one year and of those discharged in 2002(1), 42 per cent. were reconvicted within one year.
	(1 )While juvenile reconviction rates are based on reconviction within one year, the datasets on which reconviction are calculated cover a two-year period after the end of the relevant year (e.g. for those discharged in 2002 the dataset covers the period up to the end of 2004). This is necessary to include those who are juveniles at time of discharge but who are subsequently covered by the post-juvenile dataset. Results for juvenile reconviction from the 2003 dataset will be available shortly.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Attendance Allowance: Scotland

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has received recent representations from the Scottish Executive on the withdrawal of funding for the attendance allowance following the introduction of free personal care for the elderly.

Anne McGuire: A meeting between senior officials from this Department and the Scottish Executive was held on 22 June 2007 to discuss this issue at the Executive's request. There will be further contact over the summer.

Child Support Agency: Telephone Services

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will undertake an assessment of the recent effectiveness of the Child Support Agency's MPs' Hotline; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 19 July 2007:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will undertake an assessment of the recent effectiveness of the Child Support Agency's MPS' Hotline; and if he will make a statement.
	The MP Hotline was developed in response to requests from MP's who required faster responses on certain issues where a formal letter was not required. The system works well and feedback from MPs has been generally positive. However some issues have recently come to light as the Agency has rolled out its new complaints resolution process. Specifically, some MP Hotline telephone numbers have changed without the Agency alerting either MPs or its people to the new numbers. Also as the Agency has changed the complaints resolution process, in some cases those teams newly responsible for dealing with MP queries, have been unaware of the shorter timescales covering queries to the Hotline.
	The Agency has now issued reminders to all involved on how queries to the Hotline should be dealt with and we have amended our internal directories to reflect the new numbers. In addition Lord McKenzie has recently written to all MP's informing them of the changes to the complaints resolution process, as well as the new MP Hotline numbers.
	The Agency remains committed to providing a local and high quality service to all MP's as you work on your constituents' behalf to resolve issues that unfortunately arise on child support cases.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Departments: Legislation

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what legislative provisions introduced by his Department since 1997 have been repealed.

Anne McGuire: The information is as follows.
	
		
			  Acts introduced by DWP since 1997  Repealed 
			 Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997 Section 6 
			  Section 12 
			  Section 14 
			   
			 Social Security Act 1998 Section 35 
			  Sections 51 and 52 
			  Section 58 
			   
			 Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 Sections 4 and 5 
			  Section 17 
			   
			 Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 Section 7 
			  Schedule 1 paras. 3, 4, 13, 19(2), 19(3), 19(4), 60, 66(3), 67 and 68 
			   
			 Disability Rights Commission Act 1999 Section 11 
			   
			 Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 Sections 43, 44, 45 and 46 
			  Section 54 
			  Schedule 3 para. 8(2) 
			   
			 Social Security Contributions (Share Options) Act 2001 Section 4

Departments: Pay

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many bonuses were awarded to senior civil servants working at his Department and its agencies each year between 1997 and 2006; and what the total cost of those bonuses was.

Anne McGuire: The answer is in the following table.
	The table contains the total cost and number of bonus payments awarded to senior civil servants since 2001-02. There is no statutory requirement to keep accounting records longer than six years. I am therefore unable to supply information prior to 2001-02 (financial year).
	Bonuses are a key element in our reward strategy for driving up high performance and are used to reward the delivery of in-year agreed personal business objectives or targets in an individual's performance agreement. Bonuses are used to reward excellent performance and are based on a judgment of how well an individual has performed relative to their peers. In making this judgment managers take into account performance against agreed priority business objectives or targets; total delivery record over the year; relative stretch; and response to unforeseen events which may have affected the performance.
	
		
			  A mount paid in bonuses to SCS since 2001-02 and the numbers of SCS receiving bonuses 
			   Total paid (£ million)  Total number of non consolidated bonuses 
			 2001-02 0.27 81 
			 2002-03 0.59 110 
			 2003-04 0.71 126 
			 2004-05 0.97 207 
			 2005-06 1.39 205 
			  Notes: 1. The amounts shown in col. two (total paid) are rounded to the nearest £10,000. 2. The total cost and number of bonuses for 2004-05 and 2005-06 include special non consolidated bonuses paid to SCS. Retrieval of information relating to awards paid in earlier years would be disproportionate.

Departments: Publicity

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of advertising commissioned by his Department in the last 12 months.

Anne McGuire: Government policies and programmes affect the lives of millions of people and in order for them to work they must be communicated effectively. The Department runs promotional campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of rights and responsibilities where necessary and advertising is used where appropriate.
	Advertising is rigorously assessed according to the individual criteria and objectives set out for each initiative, and results are used to measure effectiveness and to inform future strategy. Methods include quantitative surveys carried out before, during and after advertising campaigns, qualitative assessment of creative work, and in-depth work with samples of those targeted by advertising.

Incapacity Benefit: Mentally Ill

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has undertaken into the reasons for recent trends in the number of incapacity claimants claiming benefit due to mental and behavioural disorders.

Anne McGuire: 'Routes onto incapacity benefits' study (DWP, Research Report 350 (Roy Sainsbury and Jacqueline Davidson) was published in 2006 and is available in the Library. A further quantitative survey is currently being finalised and will be published in the autumn.
	A review of the policies needed to improve mental health and employment outcomes was also announced in Budget 2006. The Review will report as part of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.

Pensions: Warrington

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Warrington received pension credit in the last year for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: As at February 2007 there were 7,940 households receiving pension credit, comprising 9,700 individual beneficiaries, in Warrington.
	 Notes: 1.The figures provided are early estimates. The preferred data source for figures supplied by DWP is the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS). However, the figure provided is the latest available figure, which is taken from the GMS scan at 2 March 2007. These are adjusted using the historical relationship between WPLS and GMS data to give an estimate of the final WPLS figure.
	2. Case loads are rounded to the nearest 10.
	3. Figures provided are for Warrington local authority. Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory.
	4. Households are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.
	5. The number of individual beneficiaries includes both claimants and their partners.
	 Source:
	DWP 100 per cent. data from the Generalised Matching Service (GMS) pension credit scan taken as at 2 March 2007.

Poverty

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce a measure of severe poverty; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: Poverty is a complex and multidimensional issue and there are many measures of poverty. Experts agree that it is very difficult to measure "severe" poverty. The measurement of low income we have adopted looks at a household living on less than 60 per cent. of median income, which is an internationally recognised method and the most commonly used globally. The Department also publishes the "Households Below Average Income" report, which presents information on potential living standards as determined by disposable income, measured at 50, 60 and 70 per cent. of median income.
	However poverty is about more than just low income which is why we publish "Opportunity for All" which sets out a number of indicators to demonstrate our progress in tackling poverty and social exclusion.

Social Security Benefits: Repayments

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged 16 to 21 were asked to repay benefits paid while they were staying in hospital in each year since 1997.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 17 July 2007
	The information in relation to how many people aged 16 to 21 were asked to repay benefits paid while in hospital is not available.

Winter Fuel Payments

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received the winter fuel payment in each year since its introduction; and how much they received in each year.

Mike O'Brien: Information on winter fuel payments for the winters of 1997-98 and 1998-99 is not available. The information from winter 1999-2000 is in the following table.
	
		
			   Payments made 
			 1999-2000 10,084,130 
			 2000-01 11,105,750 
			 2001-02 11,201,900 
			 2002-03 11,348,040 
			 2003-04 11,468,240 
			 2004-05 11,401,170 
			 2005-06 11,514,760 
			 2006-07 11,659,490 
			  Notes: 1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Figures for 2006-07 refer only to the main payment run so they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid in late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). Since most of the payment runs are to people who are not receiving another benefit from DWP and whose claims had not been received by the qualifying week, most are men aged 60 to 64. 3. Where couples are in receipt of pension credit or income-based jobseeker's allowance they receive one full rate winter fuel payment which is paid to the person claiming the benefit.  Source:  Information directorate 100 per cent. data. 
		
	
	The amount of winter fuel payment a person receives depends on their household circumstances. People who live with other eligible people receive a shared rate which is half of the full payment. People who live alone, live with someone who does not qualify for a payment or who receive pension credit or income-based jobseeker's allowance receive the full rate.
	The current rate of the winter fuel payment is £200 for people aged 60 to 79 and £300 for people aged 80 or over. When the winter fuel payment was introduced in the winter of 1997-98 it was paid at the rate of £20 or £50 for people receiving income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance. The payment was increased in winter 1999-2000 to £100 and further increased in winter 2000-01 to £200. In winter 2003-04 the payment was increased to £300 for people aged 80 or over.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Housing

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities have retained direct ownership and management responsibilities for their housing stock; and what proportion of the overall national stock of social housing their stock represents.

Iain Wright: During the Stock Options Appraisal exercise conducted between 2003 and 2005, 103 local authorities in England chose retained ownership and direct management for their housing stock, a further five are retaining part ownership and direct management for part of their stock, and have used ALMO transfer or PFI for parts of their housing stock.
	Between them these local authorities own and directly manage 891,000 units, which accounts for 22 per cent. of all social housing in England.

Floods: Compensation

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what measures she is proposing to help those whose flood damaged houses are uninsured.

John Healey: The £14 million package of immediate support for flood hit areas announced by the Prime Minister on 7 July included a fund of £10 million to local authorities to support the work being done to help recovery. On 13 July I announced a series of initial Flood Recovery Grant payments totalling £8 million to support work in 34 flood-hit local authorities to help those in greatest and most immediate need get back on their feet. We have retained around £2 million for further distribution and we intend to make additional grants to local authorities based upon the best available data as soon as possible.
	The Department for Work and Pensions is helping people on income related benefits or the lowest of incomes affected by the flooding with essential costs through Community Care Grants and repayable interest-free crisis loans, administered by Jobcentre Plus. A contingency reserve of £1 million can be drawn on by Jobcentre Plus as needed to meet the extra call on Community Care Grants.

Housing: Flood Control

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on Government policy on the building of houses on flood plains.

Iain Wright: In December 2006 we published Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 25 "Development and flood risk", which aims to avoid inappropriate development in flood risk areas and direct development away from high risk areas by ensuring that sites at little or no risk of flooding are developed in preference to areas at higher risk. In the 10 per cent. of England at high risk of flooding, PPS25 ensures that essential homes and services can be provided where it can be demonstrated that the need for the development outweighs the flood risk and the development will be safe and not increase risk.
	PPS25 strengthens and clarifies the policy established by Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG) 25, which was published in 2001. PPS25 is available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=l504639

Local Government: Equal Pay

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much central funding has been given to local authorities in the last 10 years to assist them to meet the cost of equal pay.

John Healey: Local authorities are responsible for decisions on local pay issues, including equal pay, and they are expected to manage them in an affordable manner. Most central funding is provided through general grant and there has been no specific grant earmarked for equal pay. Central Government funding for local government has increased by 39 per cent. in real terms since 1997.
	Approvals for capitalisation directions for equal pay, which permit authorities to borrow or use capital receipts to fund back-pay, are set out as follows:
	
		
			   Fund s  (£) 
			 2003-04 4,500,000 
			 2004-05 41,048,635 
			 2005-06 50,089,433 
			 2006-07 160,501,817 
		
	
	Following representations made by the Local Government Association and others, we have introduced a quicker process for equal pay capitalisation this year, and are considering requests in the current financial year.

Regional Government: Finance

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much Government funding was allocated to each of the regional assemblies in each year since their creation.

John Healey: Total Government grant to regional assemblies between 2001 and 2008 is tabled as follows. The figures for 2007-08 indicate the maximum grant available subject to satisfactory performance.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Regional assembly  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 North East 500,000 600,000 1,408,000 1,708,000 1,708,000 1,899,000 2,072,653 
			 North West 500,000 600,000 1,837,000 2,536,000 2,536,000 2,637,000 3,045,456 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 500,000 600,000 1,655.000 1,923,000 1,923,000 2,064,000 2,338,968 
			 West Midlands 500,000 600,000 1,671,000 2,071,000 2,071,000 2,218,210 2,517,502 
			 East Midlands 500,000 600,000 1,631,000 2,056,000 2,056,000 2,197,000 2,506,998 
			 East 500,000 600,000 1,874,000 2,112,000 2,112,000 2,353,000 2,469,407 
			 South East 500,000 600,000 2,186.000 3,280,000 3,280,000 3,381,000 3,771,142 
			 South West 500,000 600,000 1,613,000 2,101,000 2,101,000 2,289,500 2,470,164 
			 English regions network 1,000,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 240,000 244,000 
			 Total 5,000,000 5,000,000 14,075,000 17,987,000 17,987,000 19,278,710 21,436,290

TRANSPORT

Exhaust Emissions: EU Action

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to ensure that technologies aimed at enabling vehicles to meet European standards for nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emissions are installed and maintained in optimum ways, with particular reference to selective catalytic reduction.

Jim Fitzpatrick: As I mentioned in my answer of 9 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 1193-94W, from November 2007 new HGV and bus engines will be required to monitor their emission control systems and to limit engine power in the event of those emission control systems failing to operate. These provisions are essential to encourage operators to keep the emission control systems properly maintained and working, and so ensure that the intended reductions in emissions of Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX) from current and future standards are actually delivered in operation.
	The provisions apply equally to all HGV and bus engines, whether they are using exhaust gas recirculation or selective catalytic reduction, but may be of particular relevance where selective catalytic reduction is being used and the effectiveness of the system could be compromised by a simple omission, on the part of the vehicle operator or driver, to top up the AdBlue reagent.
	In the case of engines using selective catalytic reduction (SCR), a level indicator for the AdBlue reagent, incorporating a low level warning, will be required to be displayed on the dashboard near the fuel gauge, and the On Board Diagnostic system will be required to monitor the quality, as well as the presence, of the reagent. On Board Diagnostic systems are also required to monitor for failures which could lead to increased particulate emissions.
	Using an SCR equipped vehicle with an empty AdBlue tank would be an offence under regulation 61 a of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, as amended, in that it will lead to excess emissions which could have been avoided by routine maintenance.

Public Transport: Finance

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the abstraction of rail revenue to the intercity coach network when the National Concessionary Fare Scheme is implemented in April 2008;
	(2)  whether free concessionary travel will be available to older and disabled passengers on intercity express coach services registered as local bus services under the proposed national scheme due to come into force in April 2008.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 16 July 2007
	An eligible pass holder will be able to travel for free at off-peak times on any registered local bus service anywhere in England from April next year. Eligible services are defined in the Travel Concessions (Eligible Services) Order 2002—a number of criteria have to be met in order for a service to be obliged to offer the statutory concession. An intercity coach service will be obliged to provide the national bus concession on any parts of their route that provides a local service and fulfils the criteria set out in the legislation.
	It is likely that many long intercity coach services will not be covered by the national bus concession in their entirety as they will not be eligible services under the 2002 Order.
	No assessment has been made of the abstraction of rail revenue to the intercity coach network following the introduction of national bus concession.
	It will be for operators and local authorities to assess which services are covered in accordance with the criteria set out.
	The Department is keeping the issue of eligible services under review. The definition can be changed by secondary legislation.

Railways

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) Voyager,  (b) Super Voyager and  (c) InterCity 125 high speed trains are in use on the national rail network; and if she will make a statement on the fuel efficiency of each of these models.

Tom Harris: We do not hold the information regarding fuel efficiency in the Department.

Railways: EU Action

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the financial implications for the UK rail industry of the implementation of the EU proposal 2004/0048 (COD) for a European Parliament and Council directive on the certification of train drivers operating locomotives and trains on the Community's rail network.

Tom Harris: Following publication of the proposals for the Third Rail Package, the Government undertook a statutory public consultation to take into account the views of stakeholders which were integral to formulating the UK negotiating line. In accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines the Government produced an initial Regulatory Impact Assessment at the time of consultation in 2004 to assess the likely effects of the directive on the UK industry and users. This was continually updated to account for changes made to the proposal by the Council and European Parliament. A partial Regulatory Impact Assessment was submitted to the Scrutiny Committee of both Houses on 14 January 2005.
	The Regulatory Impact Assessment identified considerable cost to the UK industry of implementation of the licensing requirements to domestic train drivers in the UK. Negotiation of a derogation into the final text of the directive for domestic drivers means that those costs originally identified are now likely to be substantially reduced.

Railways: EU Action

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment her Department has made of the likelihood of the EU proposal 2004/0048 (COD) for a European Parliament and Council directive on the certification of train drivers operating locomotives and trains on the Community's rail network being extended to include all train crews.

Tom Harris: The final text of the proposed directive on the certification of train drivers operating locomotives and trains on the railway system in the Community, agreed during the conciliation process, contains provisions to limit application to a limited number of non-driving staff, which member states will be able to define. Although this has to be formally adopted by both the European Parliament and the Council, there is a strong expectation both will vote to accept. During negotiations between the Parliament and Council, the UK along with the majority of other member states was not in favour of the directive being extended to encompass all on-board safety related crew.

Railways: EU Action

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will publish the UK's proposed derogation from the EU proposal 2004/0048 (COD) for a European Parliament and Council directive on the certification of train drivers operating locomotives and trains on the Community's rail network.

Tom Harris: The final text of the proposed directive on the certification of train drivers operating locomotives and trains on the railway system in the Community, agreed during the conciliation process, has not yet been formally adopted by either the European Parliament or the Council. The derogation will require member states wishing to use it to provide the Commission with a cost/benefit analysis to show why the costs of application to domestic drivers is disproportionate.
	Once the final text of the directive has been adopted by the Parliament and Council, the Government in transposing the directive for the UK, will consult stakeholders, and produce and publish guidance, which will include details on how the UK intends to apply and use the derogation for domestic drivers.

Railways: EU Action

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had in the Council of Ministers about the UK's proposed derogation from the EU proposal 2004/0048 (COD) for a European Parliament and Council directive on the certification of train drivers operating locomotives and trains on the Community's rail network.

Tom Harris: The derogation allowing member states to disapply on a time-limited basis provisions in the proposed Directive on the certification of train drivers operating locomotives and trains on the railway system in the Community was discussed and agreed by the Council and by the European Parliament during negotiations that began in 2005 and are now almost complete following the successful outcome of the conciliation process. UK Ministers and officials were among a majority of member states supporting this proposed derogation, which gives greater flexibility to member states in implementing the directive and ensures that the full costs and benefits can be taken into account.

Railways: EU Action

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions her officials have had with the UK Permanent Representation to the EU on the UK's proposed derogation from EU proposal 2004/0048 (COD) for a European Parliament and Council directive on the certification of train drivers operating locomotives and trains on the Community's rail network. [R]

Tom Harris: Throughout negotiations of the proposed directive on the certification of train drivers operating locomotives and trains on the railway system in the Community officials from the Department of Transport have had and continue to have regular discussions and meetings with members of the UK Permanent Representation primarily to agree negotiating lines and the strategic handling of negotiations.

Railways: Offensive Weapons

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers were found carrying offensive weapons on trains between Poole and London in each of the last five years.

Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department for Transport but by the British Transport Police who can be contacted at:
	British Transport Police,
	25 Camden Road,
	London
	NW1 9LN,
	e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.

Rapid Transit Systems: Hampshire

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has to review the proposals for the South Hampshire Rapid Transit System; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: The South Hampshire Rapid Transit scheme (SHRT) had its funding approval revoked in July 2004 due to excessive cost increases. In November 2005, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, announced that he could not support revised proposals to reinstate the scheme as the costs were still substantially higher than originally approved. Hampshire county council subsequently took the decision formally to abandon the project and the statutory powers needed to construct the scheme expired in July 2006.
	Therefore the SHRT scheme does not exist in the form last submitted to the Department. It is for Hampshire county council to consider how best to meet the future transport needs for their area and bring forward proposals accordingly.

Rolling Stock

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2006,  Official Report, column 522W, to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael) on rolling stock, what the age range is of the rolling stock of the franchises run by  (a) Arriva Trains (Wales),  (b) Virgin Cross Country,  (c) First Great Western and  (d) GNER; and how much of each company's stock is (i) older than the average supplied and (ii) over 20 years old.

Tom Harris: This is a matter for the train operators. We do not hold this information.

Transport: Air Pollution

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on measures to reduce the environmental impact of transport.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Department for Transport Ministers regularly meet with ministerial colleagues in the course of performing their ministerial duties. There is regular discussion at official level between this Department and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding environment issues of mutual interest.

Transport: Tickets

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment her Department has made of the likely effect of a multi-modal integrated ticketing system on demand management through differential pricing on congested parts of the transport infrastructure;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the likely effect of a multi-modal integrated ticketing system on provision of information for transport operators on journeys and timings nationally;
	(3)  what steps the Government are taking to ensure that the national multi-modal integrated ticketing system operates consistently across different rail franchises.

Rosie Winterton: We have not made a detailed assessment of the likely effect of a multi-modal integrated ticketing system on demand management or on the provision of information for transport operators.
	However simple fares structures and easy access to tickets help to attract passengers to the public transport network. The Government believe that the introduction of ITSO smartcards on the railway will make it easier for passengers to buy their tickets at a time and place to suit them. It also opens up the opportunities to better integrate ticketing between transport modes.
	Data from an ITSO ticketing system are expected to provide additional information on the number of passenger journeys and time of travel. This will enable operators to plan services better and allow them to introduce new deals that are better tailored to passengers' needs.
	Train operators are required to comply with their passenger licences and franchise agreements which ensure that the railway set, retails and distributes fares as a single national network. These requirements are consistent across train operators.

Transport: Tickets

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the Government only mandate smartcards at franchise renewal with the Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation specification.

Rosie Winterton: The introduction of ITSO smart media has been made compulsory by Government at rail franchise renewal as a first step in achieving a network wide application. This will encourage other operators to introduce ITSO.
	The Government specify ITSO as it has been specifically designed to cope with complex ticketing structures, beyond those suitable for metropolitan areas. Secondly it is an open specification and will prevent the monopoly supply of proprietary systems. The Government believe that this will deliver the best value and service for passengers and tax payers alike.

Transport: Tickets

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects smartcard ticketing to be available throughout the transport network.

Rosie Winterton: In developing the ITSO specification, the Department has sought to introduce a framework that will enable interoperability between schemes. The technology is now being implemented but there are currently no plans for metering throughout the transport network.

TREASURY

Average Earnings

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1413W, on average earnings, whether the data refer to gross hourly earnings of full-time employees.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 19 July 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question, pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1413W, on average earnings, whether the data refer to gross hourly earnings of full-time employees. (150762)
	I confirm that the figures provided in the answer relate to full-time employees.

Bingo

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) consultations he has undertaken and  (b) (i) financial reports and (ii) economic forecasts he has commissioned on the state of the bingo industry.

Angela Eagle: The state of the bingo industry was incorporated into the forecast of total gambling receipts, which includes bingo duty receipts, and was published in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report".

Casinos

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many visits by  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have been made to casinos in (i) the UK and (ii) the rest of the world since 1997;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with representatives from the casino industry; and what plans he has for further such discussions.

Angela Eagle: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has not had any recent discussions with the casino industry. However, as part of the normal Budget process Ministers and officials have been in periodic contact with representatives of the casino industry since 1997.

Debts: Developing Countries

Ann McKechin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what processes and consultations his Department  (a) has undertaken and  (b) plans to undertake to promote the proposed G8 Charter on Responsible Lending; and what timetable is planned.

Kitty Ussher: The UK has been a leading actor in the substantial progress made by the international community to deliver debt relief. The multilateral debt relief initiative (MDRI) and the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative have already delivered irrevocable debt relief to 22 countries, releasing resources to fund country-owned strategies for poverty reduction. Key to sustaining these benefits is to ensure that developing countries' debt management is strengthened and that all creditors' lending is responsible.
	This is why the UK has been leading efforts with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to get export credit agencies (ECAs) to agree firm guidelines on responsible lending to poor countries. In April this year we were successful in persuading OECD countries to extend the scope of the OECD statement of principles on unproductive expenditure beyond just heavily indebted poor countries (HIPCs) to also cover all IDA-only countries. As a result, at least 26 extra developing countries will now be covered by this agreement on responsible lending.
	We are now taking this work forward with G8 partners, who share our commitment to ensuring responsible lending and borrowing. It is of course critical that all large official creditors, including those outside the G8, engage in this process. We will continue dialogue on this issue in the international fora in which we participate, including the OECD, the Paris Club and the G20.

Departments: Standards

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in his Department were formally reprimanded for failing to follow departmental procedures in relation to calculating the  (a) income tax and  (b) national insurance liabilities of individuals in each of the last five years for which data are available; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: HM Revenue and Customs has procedures in place for tackling poor performance wherever it occurs. Information on disciplinary proceedings related to tax and national insurance calculations is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Financial Services: Disadvantaged

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the membership is of the ministerial working group to determine detailed priorities for financial inclusion policy, announced on page 10 of the Financial inclusion: the way forward; and if he will place in the Library copies of the agendas of the group's meetings;
	(2)  what the membership is of the Financial Inclusion Taskforce.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 17 July 2007
	 The ministerial working group for financial inclusion is chaired by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury and includes ministers from the following Departments:
	Department for Work and Pensions;
	Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform;
	Ministry of Justice;
	Cabinet Office; and
	Department for Communities and Local Government.
	The first meeting of the group took place on 12 June 2007. The agenda for the meeting focused on building the evidence base for policy options to achieve the Government's objectives for financial inclusion—to ensure that everyone has access to appropriate financial services, enabling them to:
	manage their money on a day-to-day basis, effectively,
	securely and confidently;
	plan for the future and cope with financial pressure; and
	deal effectively with financial distress.
	The membership of the Financial Inclusion Taskforce is as follows:
	Benny Higgins, Chief Executive Officer, Retail, HBOS Group plc;
	Elaine Kempson, Professor of Personal Finance and Social Policy Research and Director of the Personal Finance Research Centre at Bristol University;
	Chris Lendrum, former Vice Chairman of Barclays plc;
	Mark Lyonette, Chief Executive of the Association of British Credit Unions Ltd.;
	Bridget McIntyre, UK Chief Executive Officer of Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Group plc;
	Bernie Morgan, Chief Executive of the Community Development Finance Association;
	Nick Pearson, National Debt Advice Coordinator, Advice UK;
	Teresa Perchard, Director of Policy, Citizens Advice;
	Brian Pomeroy (chair), former Senior Partner of Deloitte Consulting;
	Faith Reynolds, Co-ordinator, Transact, the national forum for financial inclusion;
	Susan Rice, Chief Executive Officer, Lloyds TSB Scotland plc;
	Danielle Walker Palmour, Director, Friends Provident Foundation;
	Claire Whyley; Deputy Director of Policy, National Consumer Council.
	Further information on the Financial Inclusion Taskforce can be found at:
	http://www.financialinclusion-taskforce.org.uk/

Insurance: Freight

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer further to the publication of 'Deregulating freight forwarding resource: Summary of responses, June 2007', when he plans to bring forward the final text of the statutory instrument; and when he expects its provisions to come into force.

Kitty Ussher: This measure will remove the insurance activities of freight forwarders and storage firms from the scope of Financial Services Authority regulation. The measure will be implemented by Statutory Instrument (SI) 2007/1821, which will come into force on 20 July 2007, subject to parliamentary approval. The SI is available from the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter of 6 June 2007 (PO Reference: 5/02209/2007) from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire.

Kitty Ussher: I have replied to the hon. Member.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter of 5 June 2007 (PO Reference: 5/02199/2007) from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire.

Kitty Ussher: I have replied to the hon. Member

Tax Allowances: Married People

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of whether a transferable tax allowance for married people would be compliant with the gender equality duty for public bodies.

Jane Kennedy: The gender equality duty is a legal obligation on public authorities which came into force in April 2007. It is not applicable to tax policy.

Taxation: Care Homes

Natascha Engel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to enable the cost of residency in a care home to be set against the tax liability of the payer; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Since the introduction of the National Assistance Act 1948 people have had to contribute towards the cost of their residential care. The Department of Health is committed to providing affordable care for all who need it, but those who can afford to are asked to pay.

Taxation: Invalid Vehicles

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether mobility scooters are to be classified as leisure vehicles and will be liable to extra import duty and VAT if manufactured outside the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Electric mobility scooters have been classified in the same tariff heading for customs purposes as some leisure vehicles, since at least 2002 when the World Customs Organisation published its 'Classification Opinion' on the subject. The World Customs Organisation is the international authority responsible for tariff classification. The European Union has set an import duty of 10 per cent. for these vehicles.
	VAT and Customs are separate regimes. Classification for import duty purposes under the Customs regime has no direct bearing on VAT liability, which is determined by VAT law.
	For VAT purposes, mobility scooters for disabled people may qualify for the zero-rating that can apply to equipment specifically designed to meet their needs. The Government have no plans to change the scope of this VAT relief.
	Following industry representations officials from HM Revenue and Customs are advising the industry on the options available to pursue a change to this classification.

Departments: Taxation

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what his policy is on treating employee assistance programmes as taxable benefits;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues in the Department of Work and Pensions on taxation of employee assistance programmes operated for that Department's staff.

Jane Kennedy: All benefits in kind provided by employers to their employees are chargeable to tax unless covered by a specific exemption. Employee assistance programmes are not normally tax exempt as they often include taxable benefits in kind.
	Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.

VAT

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the extended verification by HM Revenue and Customs on Pars Technology Ltd, Unit 4, Newmarket Court, Chippenham Drive, Kingston, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK10 0AQ (vat number 608 7403 41) to be completed; what assessment he has made of the financial impact on the company of the time taken to complete this verification; and if he will make arrangements for interest to be paid on the amount owed to the company.

Jane Kennedy: HMRC has a statutory duty of confidentiality which restricts the use and disclosure of the information it holds relating to the tax affairs of individuals, companies and other bodies.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Human Trafficking

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Solicitor-General what progress has been made by the Crown Prosecution Service on improving prosecution rates in cases of alleged human trafficking.

Vera Baird: The CPS is working to improve the number of prosecutions, and the number of offences prosecuted under human trafficking legislation is increasing year-on-year. Together with other Departments, the CPS is implementing the UK Action Plan on trafficking which should improve prevention, investigation, enforcement and prosecution.

BAE Systems Inquiry

John Barrett: To ask the Solicitor-General what discussions she has had with the Attorney-General, the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the request for co-operation with the US Department of Justice's BAE Systems corruption inquiry; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The Home Office, which has central authority for these purposes, has received a request for mutual legal assistance from the United States in connection with its investigation. That request will be considered in the usual way.

Transnational Bribery

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases of alleged transnational bribery are being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office.

Vera Baird: The Serious Fraud Office is currently investigating 11 cases where there are allegations of transnational bribery, as well as fraud. It is not possible for operational reasons to give details of all these cases, but they include an investigation into Energy Financing Team Ltd. in Bosnia, an investigation into Kellogg Brown and Root in connection with Nigeria and a number of other countries, an investigation into the construction of the Unesco-financed Bibliotecha Alexandria in Egypt and an investigation into reinsurance involving the National Insurance Institute in Costa Rica. A number of other cases are currently being considered for investigation in the vetting process.

Prosecutions

David Evennett: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the role of the Law Officers in relation to the conduct of prosecutions.

Vera Baird: The Law Officers have a statutory duty to superintend the main prosecution authorities. That duty incorporates the expectation that we will be briefed on all serious or sensitive cases. During the period of consultation on the role of the Attorney-General we will not make any key decisions in individual criminal cases unless national security or the law requires it.

Prosecutions: Smoking

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Solicitor-General how many prosecutions have been brought for breach of the smoking ban; and if she will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	Although data are not yet available from enforcement authorities, the Department understands that due to high compliance there have not been any prosecutions brought in England for any of the offences set out in Part 1, Chapter 1 of the Health Act 2006.
	The Department will routinely publish data on levels of compliance with smokefree legislation. The first report will be published in August 2007 on the Smokefree England website at:
	www.smokefreeengland.co.uk.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Packaging Waste

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government are taking to reduce packaging waste; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: Encouraged by this Government, all the major retailers have agreed to reduce the amount of packaging they use.

Marine Bill

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to publish a draft marine Bill.

Hilary Benn: It is the Government's intention to publish a draft marine Bill in the next parliamentary Session, probably in early 2008. The Government remain committed to meeting their manifesto commitment of delivering a marine Act in this Parliament.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Badgers

Nick Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the Independent Scientific Group's report on badgers.

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the final report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB and the efficacy of a badger cull in tackling this disease.

Jonathan R Shaw: We have already made clear that we are grateful to the ISG for their work on the randomised badger culling trial. We welcome their final report which further improves the evidence base. We are carefully considering the issues that the report raises, and will continue to work with industry, Government advisers and scientific experts in reaching policy decisions on these issues.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to reduce cattle-to-cattle transmission of bovine tuberculosis.

Jonathan R Shaw: Reducing cattle to cattle transmission of bovine TB is crucial to achieving our aim of reducing TB in cattle overall and preventing its spread into new areas. We have introduced zero tolerance of overdue tests, pre-movement testing of cattle from high risk herds, extended the use of the gamma interferon test alongside the TB skin test and produced updated advice on husbandry best practice. We will continue to consider how these measures might be strengthened, taking account of the recommendations in the final report from the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB.

Agriculture: Education

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to assist the education of school children in the West Midlands in nature and farming.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 18 July 2007
	 My Department is committed to helping all school children in England learn more about food and farming in a sustainable countryside. DEFRA provides approximately £1 million a year in payments to farmers who provide schools with free educational visits to their farms as part of their agri-environment scheme agreements. In addition, in the current financial year, DEFRA will provide £146,000 to support the Countryside Educational Visits Accreditation Scheme (CEVAS), which provides training to farmers who provide educational access visits. This amounts to 50 per cent. of the scheme's funding.
	DEFRA has worked closely with the Department for Education and Skills (now the Department for Children, Schools, and Families), the Department of Health, and other stakeholders to support the Year of Food and Farming in education. This is a campaign to promote healthy living by giving children direct experience of food, farming and the countryside. It is an industry-led initiative, fully endorsed by Government, which will run throughout the academic year, September 2007 to July 2008. DEFRA has contributed financial support amounting to £130,000 to develop the programme. In addition, DEFRA has lent a member of staff to the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) to work on the initiative.

Agriculture: Land Use

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department has conducted into the relative efficiency, in terms of land use, of producing organic and non-organic crops.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 18 July 2007
	 DEFRA has not funded research specifically to look in overall terms at the relative efficiency, in terms of land use, of producing organic and non-organic crops. However, the following DEFRA-funded projects involve some element of comparison between organic and conventional farming:
	OFO 145/301—Testing the sustainability of stockless arable organic farming on a fertile soil
	OF0165—Factors influencing biodiversity within organic and conventional systems of arable farming
	OFO 319/OFO 326—Sustainable organic hill and upland farming—A collaborative case study approach
	OFO 370—Farm practice and soil health
	OFO 189/OFO 190/OFO 373—Economics of organic farming
	Further information on these projects can be found on the research pages of the DEFRA website.

Agriculture: Single Payment Scheme

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claimants he estimates will receive interest on their 2006 Single Farm Payments for sums paid after 30 June 2007; what he estimates the total amount of interest paid will be; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Secretary of State reported to the House on 2 July that about 2,900 claimants under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme had received a partial payment and were due a payment of the outstanding balance. In addition, the RPA had yet to complete work on about 2,000 claims to determine whether a payment is due in each case and the amounts of such payments. As the Secretary of State announced, the RPA will pay interest on payments made after 30 June. However, the Agency is not able to provide a robust estimate of the amount of interest due until the work on the outstanding cases has progressed.

Agriculture: Single Payment Scheme

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made by the Rural Payments Agency in the implementation of the Single Payment Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: I reported progress on the Single Payment Scheme to the House on 2 July. The Rural Payments Agency continues to work on the remaining SPS 2006 claims. However, most of the Agency's resources have been switched to reviewing SPS cases where entitlements may need to be adjusted.

Animal Welfare

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he plans to take to tackle the silo mentality identified in the Eves Review on animal health and welfare within his Department.

Jonathan R Shaw: In his review of the Animal Health and Welfare delivery landscape, David Eves made wide-ranging recommendations. The need for greater co-ordination is a significant issue, leading to the recommendation for a pivotal role for Animal Health (formerly the State Veterinary Service). DEFRA accepts his recommendations and has considered how to act on them with Animal Health and Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services in particular. Animal Health is developing a lead role in co-ordinating Animal Health and Welfare delivery. At the same time, Animal Health is conducting, with local authority representatives, a review of the efficacy of the current delivery arrangements.
	We have now begun consultation on our proposed approach to take these issues forward. The consultation is available on the DEFRA website and will run until 14 September 2007.

Animals: Transport

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to establish a uniform checking procedure for animals entering the UK by air, sea and rail; and what the reason is for the different procedure for those arriving by air.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 17 July 2007
	 European legislation requires that commercially imported animals from third countries are checked at Border Inspection Posts. In the UK, all live animal Border Inspection Posts are at airports. Commercial imports from other EU member states may be checked at the point of destination but this is not required.
	All non-commercial imports of pet dogs, cats and ferrets into the UK are subject to the same identity and paperwork checks required under pet travel rules. Pets arriving by sea and rail are usually checked at the point of embarkation. Pets entering by air are checked when they enter the country for logistical reasons.

Biofuels

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with local community councils and Action for Communities in Rural England on the potential impact of a substantial take-up by farmers of energy bio-crops on rural communities.

Jonathan R Shaw: I have held no specific discussions with Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) on this subject.
	Energy crops can make a valuable contribution to Government's climate change and overall sustainability objectives, by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and stimulating economic activity in rural areas.
	The recently published UK Biomass Strategy provides a framework for a major expansion in the sustainable use of biomass as a source of electricity, heat and power, and to make transport biofuels and renewable materials for industry. It estimates that there is potential to use up to 350,000 hectares of land across the UK by 2020 to grow perennial energy crops, without any detrimental effect on food supplies. This would provide important opportunities for agriculture and land based sectors and those involved throughout the bioenergy supply chains.
	Government will establish appropriate environmental safeguards to deliver an expansion of biomass production in a sustainable way. Crops planted under DEFRA's Energy Crops Scheme are already subject to an environmental assessment before planting to include landscape, archaeology and wildlife considerations.
	We will continue to work with stakeholders, including farming, industry and environmental interests as well as regional bodies and local community groups to deliver the policies set out in the Biomass Strategy.

Biofuels: South West Region

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the changes to the use of land in South West England in the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the change in the amount of land used for energy bio-crops.

Phil Woolas: The following table shows agricultural land use in South West England in the last five years.
	
		
			   Arable  Other arable  Set aside  Grass  Woodland  Horticulture  Rough grazing 
			 2006 29,3987 9,354 57,764 1,148,977 69,882 11,809 90,826 
			 2005 29,7628 7,234 62,324 1,104,922 66,965 12,549 90,117 
			 2004 32,0963 5,084 65,110 1,077,265 62,684 11,781 94,706 
			 2003 31,2656 4,168 75,537 1,072,491 59,886 12,907 91,538 
			 2002 33,6270 3,343 66,997 1,027,766 59,922 12,669 98,505 
		
	
	The next table shows the amount of land used to produce bio-energy crops in the South West of England in the last five years. The land represented in this table has been used to grow short rotation coppice and miscanthus under the energy crops scheme and oil seed rape under the EU energy aid payment scheme.
	
		
			   Land (hectares) 
			 2006 2,396.82 
			 2005 1,631.44 
			 2004 84.41 
			 2003 0 
			 2002 0 
		
	
	In addition to these figures there has been 158 hectares of miscanthus planted in the region under the European Objective One programme which ran from 2000 to 2006. Unfortunately a yearly breakdown of this figure is not available.

Carbon Emissions: Publicity

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to increase awareness and understanding of the impact everyday actions have on carbon dioxide emissions and to help people to identify what they can do about it.

Hilary Benn: We support a considerable amount of work to help individuals think about the impacts of their behaviours. As part of our Act on CO2 campaign, we recently launched a web-based CO2 calculator which allows people and households to find out their CO2 footprint and receive a tailored action plan.

Coastal Areas: Access

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he plans to take to make access to coastal lands available to walkers.

Jonathan R Shaw: On 19 June we issued 'Consultation on proposals to improve access to the English coast'. It seeks views on a number of different options to improve access including the proposal to allow Natural England to designate a 'coastal access corridor' allowing people to enjoy unbroken access to the coast. A decision on which approach to take will be made following the consultation.

Departments: Disciplinary Proceedings

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in his Department have been  (a) disciplined and  (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers in the last 12 months.

Jonathan R Shaw: No officers have been disciplined or dismissed in the last 12 months for either inappropriate use of the internet while at work or for using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers.
	The policy on IT misuse is included in the Department's 'Golden Rules of Office Working' which are detailed on the staff intranet. The Department has blocks placed on the telecoms system preventing access to premium rate telephone numbers.

EAGA: Contracts

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will urgently investigate the reasons why Eaga have suspended their contract with J and L National Energy Saver Ltd.

Phil Woolas: My officials have commissioned White Young Green, the independent quality assessors for the Warm Front scheme, to undertake a review of the circumstances surrounding the suspension of work allocation to J and L National Energy Saver Ltd.
	This will ensure that it has been carried out in accordance with Eaga's contractual obligations. The review is due for completion in mid-August.

Environment Agency: Equal Opportunities

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what proportion of people with disabilities employed by the Southern Regional Office of the Environment Agency have left employment within one year of joining.

Phil Woolas: As required by the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005, Environment Agency applicants are invited to declare if they have a disability, however this is entirely voluntary.
	170 staff are employed by the Environment Agency in its Southern Regional Office. In the last 12 months 27 staff have left the Environment Agency. They did not declare themselves as being disabled.

Environment Agency: Equal Opportunities

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms are in place in the Southern Regional Office of the Environment Agency to recruit and retain  (a) people with disabilities and  (b) people from a black or minority ethnic background; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency's Southern Regional Office complies with the national diversity policy and actively seeks to improve its recruitment and selection process to fully represent the population it serves.

Farms

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's most recent estimate is of the number of farms in the UK, broken down by region.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 18 July 2007
	Numbers of registered holdings by region in England at June 2006 are shown in the following table. Figures for the other UK countries fall under the jurisdiction of the devolved authorities.
	
		
			  Region  Number of holdings 
			 North East 6,922 
			 North West 23,437 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 21,599 
			 East Midlands 21,573 
			 West Midland 26,211 
			 East of England 22,679 
			 London 531 
			 South East 26,335 
			 South West 51,094 
			 England 200,381 
			  Source: June Agricultural Survey

Fisheries: EU Law

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to the UK of implementing the European rules on the electronic recording and reporting of fishing activities; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Fisheries Departments estimate that the capital costs to central Government will be approximately £90,000 for the purchase of equipment needed to receive the data messages sent by fishermen. In addition about £280,000 will be needed for the costs of developing the software needed to process the data.
	Costs to industry cannot yet be quantified but are expected to be low. Discussions with information technology (IT) developers tell us that those with existing on-board systems should only need to make minor changes. For those without suitable equipment the estimated costs are in the region of £1,000-£1,500 per vessel to install the required equipment. Transmission costs are estimated at £0.60-£2.00 per message depending on the communication means used, with annual transmission costs per vessel estimated at around £147-£525.

Fisheries: EU Law

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects the European rules on the electronic recording and reporting of fishing activities to be fully implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: We expect this to be 1 January 2009 for the submission of electronic sales notes by buyers and sellers and 1 July 2009 for the submission of electronic logbooks and landing declarations by vessels over 24 metres in overall length and 1 January 2011 for the submission of electronic logbooks and landing declarations by vessels over 15 metres in overall length. These dates are included in the current proposed Commission Regulation on the implementing rules for electronic recording and reporting of fishing activities.

Fisheries: EU Law

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with  (a) his European counterparts and  (b) the fishing industry on the implementation of the European rules on electronic recording and reporting of fishing activities; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Initial discussions were held at ministerial level during November council last year when the council regulation was agreed. Since then discussions on the detailed implementing rules have been held between member states.
	My officials have circulated copies of the proposed implementing rules to licence holders of vessels over 10 metres in overall length and registered buyers and sellers of first sale fish. There have also been meetings held with individuals and companies responsible for auction sales in Plymouth and Newlyn and representatives of the NFFO to discuss the possible implications of the proposal. Further discussions will take place once the detailed rules have been agreed.

Fisheries: EU Law

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has estimated the  (a) cost and  (b) benefits of introducing EU rules for the remote sensing of fishing vessels in UK fisheries.

Jonathan R Shaw: There will be an initial cost to Government of about £40,000 to allow the integration of remote sensing images with other monitoring data. The cost for an individual Satellite Image Radar picture is between £450-£1,100.
	Remote sensing of fishing vessels is not a stand alone enforcement tool and must be used along side other resources like satellite monitoring records, aerial and surface surveillance means. It can nevertheless lead to increased effectiveness in the deployment of those resources and could be particularly useful in monitoring remote closed areas. This will however need to be considered on a case-by-case basis and only used, as the Council Regulation states, where there is clear evidence of a cost benefit in relation to the traditional control means in the detection of fishing vessels operating illegally.

Fisheries: Subsidies

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps  (a) have been taken and  (b) are planned to ensure that fishing industry stakeholders are (i) informed about and (ii) included in the management of the European Fisheries Fund.

Jonathan R Shaw: The four Fisheries Administrations in the UK have consulted with fishing industry stakeholders on the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) National Strategic Plan, and have also held a number of coastal meetings to inform them of proposals. Fisheries Administrations aim to consult on the EFF Operational Programme later this year. The extent to which industry and other stakeholders are involved in the management of the fund will be decided following that consultation.

Fisheries: Subsidies

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what timetable has been set for the  (a) programming and  (b) commencement of the European Fisheries Fund in the UK.

Jonathan R Shaw: We aim to consult on the European Fisheries Fund Operational programme later this year. The date that the first applications for grant will be accepted will be announced following the consultation.

Floods

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will assess the effectiveness of pumps in pumping stations during the recent flooding of Hull, Doncaster, Sheffield and other areas.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State to the House on 2 July 2007,  Official Report, column 689, when he said that if there are lessons to be learnt, we will need to learn and apply them. We are finalising the terms of a full lessons learned exercise across all those with responsibility for managing and responding to flooding. This will consider all the relevant issues raised in the course of recent events.

Floods

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on measures to assist those affected by recent flooding.

Phil Woolas: I have received many representations from individuals and organisations on this important issue. My hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government is leading Government efforts to assist those in the flooded areas in their efforts to return to normality as soon as possible.

Oil: Storage

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he intends to review the effectiveness of the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Environment Agency is currently reviewing the number of reported oil pollution incidents since the regulations were introduced across England, looking at the incidents from exempt and non-exempt oil stores.
	Their analysis will inform consideration of whether the regulations need to be strengthened to further reduce the numbers of oil pollution incidents where no downward trend is in evidence. The Agency intends to publish its findings in the autumn.
	The Environment Agency is also working with industry and trade associations to address the most common causes of oil pollution highlighted by the 2005 Oil Care Campaign report on Analysis of Inland Oil and Fuel Incidents in England and Wales.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure egg production complies with animal welfare requirements.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 17 July 2007
	 There is specific legislation in place to fulfil EU obligations to ensure the welfare of laying hens kept for egg production. In addition there is a DEFRA welfare code providing detailed guidance specifically on laying hens.
	Animal Health (formerly the State Veterinary Service), enforces this animal welfare legislation and conducts a regular programme of inspections on farms to check the welfare of poultry. The Egg Marketing Inspectorate (now part of Animal Health) also takes note of any welfare concerns during its inspection of premises in respect of Egg Marketing Regulations.
	Animal Health investigates all complaints and allegations about poor welfare on-farm and takes appropriate action, which may include a recommendation to prosecute. The Government give priority to such complaints and allegations from, for example, private veterinary surgeons, welfare organisations and members of the public. We do not hesitate to take action against anyone failing to comply with the law.

Rural Areas

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of procedures in place in his Department for the rural proofing of new policies.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Government as a whole 'rural proof' their policies and programmes. This involves considering their potential impact on rural areas and, where appropriate, adjusting them to meet the needs of rural people better.
	We have established the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) to be an adviser to Government on rural affairs and to independently monitor how policies are meeting rural needs. The CRC's latest monitoring report, published in October 2006, includes encouraging evidence of rural proofing but also concludes that there is room for improvement. My Department is working with CRC and with other Government Departments to review the rural proofing process and will contribute to the next progress report later this year.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Drugs

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to disrupt the supply of illegal drugs originating from  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) South America to the United Kingdom.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) contributes directly to the delivery of the UK's National Drugs Strategy by supporting efforts to disrupt the supply of illicit drugs to the UK. Preventing the importation of heroin from Afghanistan and cocaine from Latin America into the UK is a top priority for our international efforts. We engage with countries along the main trafficking routes from Afghanistan, especially Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and the Balkans, and Latin America, especially the Caribbean and West Africa, as well as with the producer countries. Our overseas posts provide the operational base for the Serious Organised Crime Agency's overseas work, which acts to support the law enforcement activity of partner agencies.
	The UK works closely with host Governments to support action to disrupt trafficking, seize consignments of illicit drugs, and their financial proceeds, and ensure effective prosecution of offenders. We help to build capacity amongst the region's law enforcement agencies and judiciary with the provision of legal drafting, law enforcement and prosecution training and equipment. We work closely with other partners including the EU and US to maximise effect.
	The UK is working with the Afghan Government and the international community to bring about a sustainable reduction in the cultivation, production and trafficking of opium in Afghanistan. We are spending £270 million over three years in support of the Afghan Government's National Drug Control Strategy and its four priorities—targeting the trafficker, strengthening and diversifying legal rural livelihoods, reducing demand and developing state institutions. Some £2.7 million of FCO funds has been allocated to Afghan regional capacity building since 2005, as well as bilateral funding for Pakistan and Iran of nearly £1 million.
	In addition £6 million of Home Office funds is being spent on procurement of two helicopters for use by the Pakistan anti-narcotics force, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer on 8 March 2006.
	The UK also devotes considerable resources within the Latin American region to combat the trafficking of cocaine to the UK. Through its Global Opportunities Fund, the FCO has allocated £1.7 million since 2005 to specific projects to support counter-narcotics efforts in the Latin American region. For the current financial year, a sum of £647,000 has been allocated.

Conflict Prevention: Finance

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which projects and programmes are being funded by the Conflict Prevention Pools; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Conflict Prevention Pools were established in 2001-02 to bring together defence, diplomatic and development activity aimed at long-term conflict prevention. Jointly owned and managed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ministry of Defence and Department for International Development, they aim to improve the Government's conflict prevention work through joint analysis, strategy planning and project programming, and better co-ordination with international partners.
	The Global Conflict Prevention Pool currently funds programmes in Afghanistan (including a separate Afghanistan counter-narcotics programme), the Balkans, Caribbean, Latin America, Indonesia/East Timor, India/Pakistan, Iraq, Middle East/North Africa, Nepal, Russia/Commonwealth of Independent States and Sri Lanka. It also funds three thematic strategies aimed at building international conflict prevention capacity: security sector reform, small arms/light weapons and UN.
	The Africa Conflict Prevention Pool funds bilateral assistance to a range of countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa, working with African and other international bodies to reduce the incidence and effects of conflict at continental, regional and country levels in Africa. Significant achievements include strong and influential relationships being built with key continental and national actors in the emerging African peace and security architecture. High quality training and other support is being provided to strengthen African capacity for peace support operations and to encourage the professionalism of African armed forces. Country programmes are making innovative contributions to peace-building and post conflict stabilisation work.
	I will arrange for a full list of the programmes and projects funded by the Conflict Prevention Pools to be placed in the Library of the House.

Departments: Arabic

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what proportion of his Department's staff held an Arabic language qualification in each year since 2000.

Kim Howells: There are 230 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff with an Arabic language qualification at various levels recorded on the FCO management information system. This is around 6 per cent. of the total number of diplomatic service staff. The figure does not include staff employed locally. Using success in the internal FCO Arabic exam at Operational or Extensive level as a measure of fluency, 70 staff acquired fluency in Arabic between 2000 and 2006. Other staff serving in Arabic-speaking posts will have retained fluency from previous use of the language. Five staff will complete Arabic Operational training in 2007 and a further 14 in 2008. We would expect the overall number of Arabic speakers in the diplomatic service to increase as we continue to train staff and target hard language skills, including Arabic, at recruitment and inward transfer. We will also be encouraging staff to return to the region to reuse existing language skills.
	In order to provide a year on year breakdown of language qualifications we would need to extract both the start and end dates of the qualification. This information was not mandatory on the previous management information system and any breakdown would not provide a true reflection of the total number of staff that held the qualification.

Departments: Disciplinary Proceedings

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people in his Department have been  (a) disciplined and  (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers in the last 12 months.

Jim Murphy: Since April 2006 one member of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff has received an official warning for accessing the Internet for private use and for making personal overseas calls from an office extension. No FCO staff have been dismissed for either inappropriate use of the internet while at work or for using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers in the last year.

Departments: Early Retirement

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his staff took early retirement in the last five years; at what cost; what grades of staff took early retirement; and what percentage of each grade took early retirement.

Jim Murphy: The following table sets out the number of officers in each grade who have taken early retirement from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) since 2002 and the total cost per annum of their compensation.
	
		
			Grades 
			   Total cost to FCO (£)  SMS( 1)  D7  D6  C5  C4  B3  A2/1 
			 2002-03 2,518,387 11 2 3 7 1 1 — 
			 2003-04 3,666,088 21 1 3 5 1 2 — 
			 2004-05 7,692,646 22 5 6 7 9 13 6 
			 2005-06 18,158,682 37 8 19 27 34 21 26 
			 2006-07 11,269,250 33 1 8 15 13 9 5 
			 (1) SMS is the Senior Management Structure. 
		
	
	We are unable to supply the information requested about early retirements as a percentage of staff in each grade as we do not hold this data in our records for years up to 2005.
	It is our policy to do all we can to avoid compulsory redundancies. But, following the 2004 Spending Review, we have carried out a restructuring exercise to realise efficiency savings. This early retirement programme will enable us to reduce the size of the SMS in the FCO by 18 per cent. by 31 March 2008.
	All payments to early retirees have been calculated and paid in strict accordance with the terms of the standard Civil Service Compensation Schemes. The aforementioned total costs listed include both compensation and early payment of pension sums, some of which would have been payable to these staff whenever they retired.

Departments: Middle East

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many London-based departmental staff were assigned to working primarily on  (a) the Middle East excluding Iraq and  (b) Iraq in each year since 2000.

Kim Howells: The following table shows the total number of London-based departmental staff working primarily on the Middle East from the financial years 2000-01 to 2007-08. We keep staffing levels under constant review against operational requirements and available resources.
	
		
			  Financial year  Middle East  Iraq 
			 2000-01 45 (1)— 
			 2001-02 46 (1)— 
			 2002-03 49 (1)— 
			 2003-04 51 26 
			 2004-05 52 33 
			 2005-06 51 35 
			 2006-07 44 35 
			 2007-08 39 29 
			 (1 )From financial year 2000-01 to 2002-03 Iraq fell under the wider Middle East and North Africa Directorate. Due to changes in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's management information systems over this period, it is not possible, without incurring disproportionate cost, to distinguish staff who worked on Iraq from those working in the wider directorate

Departments: Ministerial Red Boxes

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ministerial red boxes his Department bought in each of the last five years; what the cost of each was; who the suppliers were: and what tendering process was used in selecting them.

Jim Murphy: The information requested by the hon. Member is only available for years 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
	
		
			   Number of boxes  Total value (£) 
			 2004 0 0 
			 2005 (1)8 3,600 
			 2006 (2)6 2,900 
			 2007 1 490 
			 (1 )Two separate orders (2) Three separate orders 
		
	
	The requirements for these boxes are infrequent and are satisfied through single source procurement strategy with Barrow and Gale. There is no current long-term contract in place. During 2004 the opportunity was taken to market test the prices and those provided by Barrow and Gale were found to provide the best value on price and quality.

Departments: Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants within his Department's areas of responsibilities in the last 12 months.

Meg Munn: Both in the UK and overseas, staff are paid subsistence to compensate for the additional costs of being away from home on official duty. Subsistence covers the cost of a room in a typical hotel, and the costs of meals and other incidentals. Each post has a different daily subsistence rate depending on local economic conditions There is no automatic entitlement to subsistence in the UK.
	Current electronic data in the UK show that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spent the following on hotel accommodation between April 2006 and June 2007:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Dates from and to  UK  Overseas 
			 April 2006-March 2007 60,429.15 686,213.40 
			 April 2007-June 2007 8,469.75 86,522.68 
		
	
	However, this information is subject to the following caveats:
	the figures use the date the expense was incurred, rather than the submission date;
	the figures shown are only those where total expenditure has been paid; and
	the figures provided are only those held in the UK. Posts overseas may also have paid individually for accommodation during this period, but our systems are not able to separate out the sums spent by overseas posts on overnight accommodation from other travel expenses.

Departments: Postal Services

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what volume of correspondence his Department sent  (a) by Royal Mail and  (b) by other commercial delivery services in each of the last five years; and what the reasons were for the use of other commercial delivery services.

Jim Murphy: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) correspondence sent by Royal Mail is not tracked by volume.
	FCO correspondence sent to diplomatic missions overseas is dispatched in the diplomatic bag by commercial delivery services. Volumes for each of the last five financial years are as follows:
	
		
			  April to March each year  Kilos 
			 2002-03 407,576 
			 2003-04 384,214 
			 2004-05 362,109 
			 2005-06 341,537 
			 2006-07 332,622 
		
	
	The FCO's current principal overseas mail service provider won an open Government tender in 2005 on the basis of geographical reach and value for money. Royal Mail did not tender.

Diplomatic Service

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK-based departmental staff there were at the British Embassy in  (a) Egypt,  (b) Jordan and  (c) Israel in each year since 2000, broken down by grade; and how many such staff there were at the British Consulate General in Jerusalem in each such year, broken down by grade.

Kim Howells: The following table shows the total number of UK based staff at the British embassies in Egypt, Israel and Jordan from the financial years 2000-01 to 2006-07. We are not able to disclose a breakdown of the grades of the staff working in these posts for security reasons. We keep staffing levels under constant review against operational requirements and available resources.
	
		
			  Financial year  Egypt  British Consulate-General Jerusalem  Israel  Jordan 
			 2000-01 30 11 18 20 
			 2001-02 35 11 18 20 
			 2002-03 28 11 17 19 
			 2003-04 27 12 16 15 
			 2004-05 30 13 12 19 
			 2005-06 26 11 12 20 
			 2006-07 28 13 12 20

Diplomatic Service

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK-based departmental staff there were at the British Embassy in  (a) Syria,  (b) Lebanon and  (c) Iraq in each year since 2000, broken down by grade.

Kim Howells: The following table shows the total number of UK based staff at the British embassies in Iraq, Lebanon and Syria from the financial years 2000-01 to 2006-07. We are not able to disclose a breakdown of the grades of the staff working in these posts for security reasons. We keep staffing levels under constant review against operational requirements and available resources.
	
		
			  Financial year  Iraq  Lebanon  Syria 
			 2000-01 0 7 12 
			 2001-02 0 7 12 
			 2002-03 0 7 13 
			 2003-04 7 9 13 
			 2004-05 35 9 11 
			 2005-06 42 12 14 
			 2006-07 40 12 12

Diplomatic Service

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK-based departmental staff there were at the British Embassy in  (a) Saudi Arabia,  (b) United Arab Emirates and  (c) Iran in each year since 2000, broken down by grade.

Kim Howells: The following table shows the total number of UK based staff at the British embassies in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran from the financial years 2000-01 to 2006-07. We are not able to disclose a breakdown of the grades of the staff working in these posts for security reasons. We keep staffing levels under constant review against operational requirements and available resources.
	
		
			  Financial year  Iran  Saudi Arabia  UAE 
			 2000-01 21 34 27 
			 2001-02 22 33 27 
			 2002-03 24 29 29 
			 2003-04 22 28 30 
			 2004-05 22 25 27 
			 2005-06 23 28 29 
			 2006-07 27 28 31

EU External Relations: Entry Clearances

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of joining the Russia-EU visa facilitation agreement.

Jim Murphy: The EU strategy on visa facilitation does not apply to the UK and Ireland, given our non-participation in Schengen and the common visa policy. We are under no obligation to conclude a similar agreement. The UK considers approaches for visa facilitation independently from EU proposals.

EU Reform: Treaties

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the criteria are for triggering the holding of a referendum on proposals for change to the treaty base of the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The treaty establishing a constitution for Europe, on which the Government proposed a referendum, is now defunct. The mandate for a Reform treaty agreed by the European Council states clearly:
	"The constitutional concept, which consisted in repealing all existing Treaties and replacing them by a single text called "Constitution", is abandoned".
	The UK's only ever national referendum was on European Economic Community membership in 1975. The Reform treaty will be an amending treaty in the tradition of Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice— none of which were subject to a referendum in this country.

European Union: Conferences

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to attend the EU-Africa Summit in Portugal in December 2007.

Meg Munn: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave her today (UIN 149746).

European Union: Treaties

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on proposals for a treaty reforming the legal basis of the European Union.

Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has held discussions with the Portuguese presidency and other EU partners on many issues, including EU institutional issues.

Hamas

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take of the Hamas charter in assessing Hamas's suitability as a partner for peace in the middle east; what recent representations he has received on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: There are parts of the Hamas charter which are clearly unacceptable to the UK. I have made clear we will engage with those who are committed to a two-state solution through peaceful negotiations.
	We have received no recent representations on the charter.

Hamas

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent instructions he has given to  (a) officials and  (b) his diplomatic representatives on contacts with Hamas in (i) the west bank and (ii) Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Our Consul-General in Jerusalem met Ismail Haniya (former Hamas Prime Minister) and Ghazi Hamad (Hamas spokesperson) to discuss the Alan Johnston kidnapping. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have also held meetings with Ghazi Hamad in London to discuss the same consular case. No other issues were discussed.

Iran: Nuclear Power

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent proposals have been put to Iranian representatives by the EU High Representative on modalities for the opening of negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme.

David Miliband: The EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, has had a number of meetings in recent months with his Iranian interlocutor, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Dr. Ali Larijani, most recently in Lisbon on 23 June. In those meetings, he has consistently reiterated to the Iranians that the E3+3 (UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and US) are prepared to enter into negotiations with them on the basis of the "elements of a long term agreement", annexed to UN Security Council Resolution 1747 (March 2007). We regret that Iran continues to refuse to suspend its proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities, as requested by the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors as a confidence-building measure and made mandatory by the UN Security Council, which would open the way for those negotiations to begin.

Iran: Nuclear Power

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the  (a) construction and  (b) purpose of a tunnel facility near the Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We are aware of media reports about new tunnel construction at a mountain adjacent to the Natanz facility. The International Atomic Energy Agency are aware of the tunnel and we understand the Iranians have told the Agency that they will provide information on its purpose, although we have not received confirmation from the Agency that they have done so yet.

Iraq: Drugs

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the level of opium production in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: While the current security environment makes it difficult to make an accurate or comprehensive assessment, we are not aware of any significant opium production in Iraq. According to the UN Office for Drugs and Crime World Drugs reports for 2006 and 2007, Iraq does not feature as a producer of opium.

Lesotho: Elections

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the outcome of the elections in Lesotho in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the political situation in Lesotho.

Meg Munn: The ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy party won by a sizeable majority in an election process that we and independent observers deemed largely free and fair. But legal challenges by opposition parties are still ongoing and we do have concerns about sporadic incidents of violence which followed, directed at both Government and Opposition figures. Both Government and Opposition parties alike, now need to engage in dialogue to bring about a peaceful solution.
	Our non-resident high commissioner, who resides in Pretoria, visited most recently on 3 July when he encouraged all sides to enter fully into the Southern African Development Community-backed mediation process headed by former President Masire of Botswana. We continue to monitor the situation closely, through our high commission in Pretoria and in London with the Lesotho high commissioner, who officials met most recently on 27 June.

Moldova: Foreign Relations

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take to improve bilateral relations with the Republic of Moldova; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: We continue to encourage Moldova to implement the reforms set out in the jointly agreed European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan, which was launched in February 2005. In this context, the Government strongly support efforts to promote economic and political reforms, aimed at bringing Moldova closer to EU standards. During my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Europe's (Mr. Hoon) recent trip to Moldova, he made clear that the UK will continue to work closely with Moldova and help to focus their efforts on implementing the action plan and its successor.
	The Government have contributed £5.5 million as part of a multi-donor fund towards the Early Transition Countries initiative managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in support of the bank's investment and business advisory operations in the seven low-income countries of Central Asia, South Caucasus and Moldova.
	The Department for International Development's overall aid framework for Moldova is £2.7 million for 2006-07. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office funds small grassroots level projects under the Global Opportunities Fund (£124,000 for 2007-08). The EU has provided assistance to Moldova totalling over €253 million (since 1991), including technical assistance under the Technical Aid to the Commonwealth of Independent States programme.
	All of these activities are reinforced by the high level meetings referred to in the reply I gave to the hon. Member today (UIN 150533).

Occupied Territories: Peace Keeping Operations

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Government policy is on the proposal put forward by 10 EU Foreign Ministers for an international force to patrol the Palestinian territories; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We are concerned about the security situation in Gaza. However, any international force would need the full support and agreement of all parties concerned.

Official Visits: Moldova

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations he plans to make in response to the visit of the President of Moldova to the United Kingdom later in 2007; what  (a) events and  (b) meetings are planned; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: We are looking at future opportunities for inward visits from Moldova from senior figures including the President of Moldova. The timing of the president's visit, however, has not yet been confirmed. It would be inappropriate to comment, therefore, on the tentative arrangements made thus far.
	The UK enjoys a constructive relationship with Moldova and welcomes further co-operation between the UK and Moldova both bilaterally and within the EU. Over the last year, we have welcomed many high profile visitors to the UK, particularly Moldovan Ministers and parliamentarians. The Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament, Dr. Marian Lupu, visited the UK in February last year for meetings with Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials. Valeriu Ostalep, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Integration visited the UK in July 2006, while the Minister of Defence, Valeriu Plesca, visited the UK in September 2006, meeting with, among others, my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence, Lord Drayson. My right hon. Friend the then Minister for Europe (Mr. Hoon), met President Voronin and other senior figures during his visit to Moldova in February this year, and met the First Deputy Prime Minister, Mrs. Zinaida Grecianîi on her visit here last November.

Pakistan: Politics and Government

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports that the Government of Pakistan has relaxed the conditions of AQ Khan's house arrest; and whether he has made representations to the Government of Pakistan on this subject.

David Miliband: We have noted recent press reports that some of AQ Khan's house arrest restrictions have been eased and our high commission in Islamabad has raised this with the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The MFA has assured us that there has been no change in AQ Khan's status and their official spokesman has also denied the suggestion.

Palestinians: International Assistance

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of Palestinian Authority employees in Gaza who will receive salary remittances via restored EU funding through the Temporary International Mechanism.

David Miliband: 30,000 Palestinian Authority (PA) employees in Gaza currently receive allowances under the Temporary International Mechanism.
	On 18 June, EU Foreign Ministers discussed the resumption of assistance to the PA. They concluded that the EU should develop the conditions for urgent practical and financial assistance. The EU has not yet decided how this will be delivered and is discussing options with the PA. These options include funding for private sector arrears and allowances for other PA workers. We expect the EU to announce its decision in the next few weeks.

Palestinians: Migration

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of Palestinians who have left Gaza since 12 June as a result of the violence and change in administration there; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We have made no estimate of the number of Palestinians who have left Gaza since 12 June. However, the Palestinian Centre of Human Rights estimates that 600 Palestinians have tried to leave Gaza for the west bank since 12 June. On 16 and 17 June, Israeli authorities allowed approximately 150 Palestinians to travel to the west bank. The Israeli authorities also allowed a few Palestinian patients to travel to Israel to receive medical treatment through the offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Portugal: EU-Africa Summit

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy not to attend the EU-Africa Summit in Portugal in December if Robert Mugabe is present at the summit.

Meg Munn: No decision on this has been taken since invitations have not yet been issued for the summit. It is not clear whether the Portuguese intend to invite Foreign Ministers as well as Heads of State and Government. We have made clear to EU and African partners that we believe that the presence of Robert Mugabe would undermine the summit's important agenda.

Portugal: EU-Africa Summit

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on whether the EU Common Position banning travel in the EU by members of the Government of Zimbabwe permits the attendance of Robert Mugabe or other members of the Government of Zimbabwe at the EU-Africa Summit in Portugal in December.

Meg Munn: Article 4(5) of the EU Common Position of Zimbabwe 2004/161/Common Foreign and Security Policy lists the circumstances under which an individual listed in the annex as subject to a visa ban may be granted an exemption from the ban. This includes attendance at intergovernmental meetings, included those promoted by the EU, where a political dialogue is conducted that directly promotes democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Zimbabwe. If a member state proposes to grant an exemption, this will be decided according to the procedure in article 4(6). At present, no proposal has been made in connection with the EU-Africa summit.

Portugal: EU-Africa Summit

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the  (a) African Union and  (b) the Southern African Development Community on the attendance of Robert Mugabe and other representatives of the Government of Zimbabwe at the EU-Africa Summit in Portugal in December 2007.

Meg Munn: We continue to make clear in our contacts with African leaders, including the African Union and the Southern African Development Community, that Robert Mugabe's attendance at the EU-Africa summit is undesirable and would undermine the summit's important work on issues of mutual concern such as peacekeeping and security, climate change, good governance and poverty reduction in Africa.

Rainforests: Conservation

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to international institutions on the protection of the Congo rainforest.

Meg Munn: The Government maintain a regular dialogue with the World Bank, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Government to help develop innovative forest management and financing systems that provide alternatives to industrial logging. The Department for International Development-funded Roundtable Review is bringing together the World Bank, international NGOs and other key actors in a constructive dialogue to shape the future of the DRC's forests in a way that benefits the people of the DRC. The Government have pledged a US$500,000 contribution to the Multi-Donor Trust Fund to improve forest governance which will enable us to work with the World Bank, the EU, France and Belgium who are all key international players with important roles to play in support of the DRC's forests. And the UK's contribution of £50 million for the Congo Basin Initiative will support the important work to protect the Congo basin forests and the livelihoods of those who depend on them.

Saudi Arabia: BAE Systems

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the US Administration requesting details of the inquiry into the Al Yamamah contract.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has received no such representations.

Sudan: Peace Keeping Operations

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 217W, on Sudan: peacekeeping operations, whether it is UK policy that the forthcoming UN Security Council resolution mandating the deployment of the AU-UN hybrid force should include provision for a no-fly zone and enhanced air monitoring in Darfur.

David Miliband: We are considering a number of measures to improve air monitoring in Darfur. Such measures will not be included in the UN Security Council Resolution that we are currently preparing with other Security Council members. This resolution will mandate the UN elements of the joint African Union (AU)/UN peacekeeping force for Darfur, as set out in the report produced by the AU and UN and presented to the Government of Sudan in Addis Ababa on 12 June. Copies of this report are available in the Library of the House.

Sudan: Peace Keeping Operations

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 218W, on Sudan: peacekeeping operations, how many African troops the UN is seeking to source for the AU-UN hybrid force; how many African countries have indicated their willingness to supply troops; and when a decision on whether to begin sourcing non-African troops would be made.

David Miliband: The African Union and UN have agreed that the hybrid force should include up to 19,555 troops. The UN will source troops from non-African countries if there are not sufficient African troops available. The formal process of force generation will be carried out by the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations, once a UN Security Council Resolution has been passed mandating the force.

Sudan: Politics and Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations the Government are involved in to ensure that forthcoming elections in Sudan are adequately monitored by international representatives.

Meg Munn: While preparations for the 2008-09 elections are under way, we and other donors are concerned that the elections process is behind schedule.
	We are pushing all sides, including our international partners, to ensure that they implement their commitments, including on elections, under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement as quickly as possible. We have taken the initiative to develop a joint donor strategy to co-ordinate support for the elections, including the need for effective election monitoring. We are pressing the UN to lead on election monitoring work. The EU has not yet indicated what its role will be in respect of election monitoring.

Sudan: Politics and Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding he has made available to the different political parties operating in Sudan to assist their preparations for elections in 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The UK is providing technical assistance and capacity building activities to support the major political parties in the Sudan in preparing for the 2008-09 elections. We are currently funding a 30-month project implemented by a consortium led by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance of Sweden. The project budget of £550,000 covers workshops to train party representatives in democratic principles, the elections process, the representation of women and minorities and how to run election campaigns.
	We are considering options to expand the political parties training project to a larger number of parties in both the north and south and to fund media training on election reporting.

Uganda: Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 9 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1300W, on Uganda: Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference, whether British police officers will be present during the Commonwealth meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to my written reply to him on 9 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1300W. British police officers will be present in Uganda during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Uganda: Elections

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1300W, on Uganda: politics and government, what reports he has received on the likelihood of President Museveni contesting elections in 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The Ugandan Parliament voted in 2005 to lift the constitutional two-term limit, to allow incumbents to serve an unlimited number of terms. We have not received any confirmed reports about whether President Museveni intends to stand in the 2011 elections.

Uganda: Politics and Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Uganda on the recent treatment of Dr. Kizza Besigye, leader of the Opposition.

Meg Munn: We have not made any recent representations to the Government of Uganda specifically about Dr. Besigye. We do, however, closely monitor the People's Redemption Army trial in which Besigye is a defendant and are pushing for a swift and fair conclusion of the legal process. In the course of our regular dialogue with the Government of Uganda, we continue to press them, including at senior political level, on all aspects of engaging with the Opposition and further developing multi-party democracy.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Adoptions: Appeals

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many adoptions were challenged by the birth parent in each of the last three years.

Kevin Brennan: Statistical information for the years 2003-05 on the number of contested and uncontested adoption orders which were granted in England and Wales is included in Table 6.3 in the Statistics Series 'Marriage, divorce and adoptions', Volume FM2, published by the Office for National Statistics. A copy of this publication is available in the House Library and on the National Statistics website at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_population/FM2no32/FM2 32.pdf
	Statistics for 2006 have not yet been published.

Children's Centres

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many Sure Start children's centres there were in England in each year from 1996-97 to 2006-07; and what estimate he has made of the likely number of such centres in each year from 2007-08 to 2010-11.

Beverley Hughes: Sure Start Local Programmes (SSLPs) were established before children's centres, with 524 set up between 1999 and 2003. The first table gives cumulative figures for SSLPs open in each financial year across this period:
	
		
			   Number of Sure Start Local Programmes 
			 1999-2000 51 
			 2000-01 142 
			 2001-02 259 
			 2002-03 445 
			 2003-04 524 
		
	
	The first Sure Start children's centres were opened in June 2003, and the following table shows cumulative figures across each financial year up to 2007-08. The figures include former SSLPs as the vast majority of these have taken on children's centre status over this period.
	
		
			   Number of Sure Start Children's Centres (including those that were initially SSLPs) 
			 2004 65 
			 2005 226 
			 2006 836 
			 2007 1,262 
			 2008 (1)2,500 
			 (1 )Forecast based on progress towards Government target. 
		
	
	There are currently 1,337 children centres, and the Department is on course to achieve its target of 2,500 by 2008. The Government have set a national target of 3,500 centres by 2010, but projected figures for the final phase (2008 to 2010) cannot be given for individual years as local authority planning for these centres is at a very early stage.

Departments: Cost Effectiveness

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what target his Department has been set by HM Treasury as part of the comprehensive spending review settlement announced in the 2007 Budget for efficiency savings over the period covered by the review.

Edward Balls: How the current target for efficiency savings will be divided between the newly created Departments for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) we will set out our efficiency target in due course.

Departments: Targets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which departmental targets will transfer to his Department from the former Department for Education and Skills.

Edward Balls: My Department is responsible for the following PSA targets, each of which were agreed between the former Department for Education and Skills and HM Treasury as part of the 2004 spending review:
	1. Improve children's communication and social and emotional development so that by 2008, 53 per cent. of children reach a good level of development at the end of the foundation stage and reduce inequalities between the level of development achieved by children in the 30 per cent. most disadvantaged super output areas and the rest of England by four percentage points from 16 per cent. to 12 percent (joint with the Department for Work and Pensions);
	2. As a contribution to reducing the proportion of children living in households where no one is working, by 2008: increase the stock of Ofsted-registered childcare by 10 per cent.; increase the number of children in lower-income working families using formal child care by 120,000; and introduce by April 2005, a successful light-touch child care approval scheme (joint with the Department for Work and Pensions);
	3. Reduce the under-18 conception rate by 50 per cent. by 2010 as part of a broader strategy to improve sexual health (joint with the Department of Health);
	4. Halt the year-on-year rise in obesity among children under 11 by 2010 in the context of a broader strategy to tackle obesity in the population as a whole (joint with the Department of Health and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport);
	5. Narrow the gap in educational achievement between looked-after children and that of their peers; and improve their educational support and the stability of their lives so that by 2008 80 per cent. of children under 16 who have been looked after for two and a half or more years will have been living in the same placement for at least two years, or are placed for adoption;
	6. Raise standards in English and mathematics so that: by 2006, 85 per cent. of 11-year-olds achieve level 4 or above, with this level of performance sustained to 2008; and by 2008, the proportion of schools in which fewer than 65 per cent. of pupils achieve level 4 or above is reduced by 40 per cent.
	7. Raise standards in English, mathematics, ICT and science in secondary education so that: by 2007, 85 per cent. of 14-year-olds achieve level 5 or above in English, mathematics and ICT (80 per cent. in science) nationally, with this level of performance sustained to 2008; and by 2008, in all schools at least 50 per cent. of pupils achieve level 5 or above in English, mathematics and science;
	8. Improve levels of school attendance so that by 2008, school absence is reduced by 8 per cent. compared to 2003;
	9. Enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities by five to 16-year-olds so that the percentage of school children in England who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and sport within and beyond the curriculum increases from 25 per cent. in 2002 to 75 per cent. by 2006 and to 85 per cent. by 2008, and to at least 75 per cent. in each School Sport Partnership by 2008 (joint with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport);
	10. By 2008, 60 per cent. of those aged 16 to achieve the equivalent of five GCSEs at grades A*-C; and in all schools at least 20 per cent. of pupils to achieve this standard by 2004, rising to 25 per cent. by 2006 and 30 per cent. by 2008;
	11. Increase the proportion of 19-year-olds who achieve at least level 2 by three percentage points between 2004 and 2006; and a further two percentage points between 2006 and 2008, and increase the proportion of young people who achieve level 3;
	12. Reduce the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) by two percentage points by 2010.

Education: Local Government

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the likely impact of structural changes to local government on education.

Beverley Hughes: The decision as to which proposals for unitary local authorities should proceed to stakeholder consultation reflected the collective decision of Government. All the 26 unitary proposals that were received in response to the invitation issued on 26 October 2006 were assessed against the five criteria set out in that invitation. The 16 unitary proposals that have been subject to the stakeholder consultation will now be reassessed against the same five criteria, having regard to all the information available, including that received in response to the consultation.

Family Courts: Counselling

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what proportion of family disputes were  (a) successfully mediated,  (b) unsuccessfully mediated and  (c) not mediated for (i) publicly funded cases, (ii) privately funded cases and (iii) cases in which only one party was publicly funded in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of effects on costs of increasing the number of mediated cases in family disputes for both publicly and privately funded cases; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The Ministry of Justice only have figures for publicly funded mediations. The National Audit Office (NAO) report "Legal aid and mediation for people involved in family breakdown" published in April 2007 found that only 20 per cent. of people who are funded by legal aid for family breakdown currently opt for mediation. The figures for the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			   Total number of mediations  Successful mediations reaching agreement (percentage)  Number of mediations that broke down (percentage) 
			 2002/03 13,841 56 44 
			 2003/04 14,290 60 40 
			 2004/05 14,355 57 43 
			 2005/06 14,128 60 40 
			 2006/07 13,889 66 34 
		
	
	In relation to cases where only one party is legally aided, this data could be obtained only at disproportional cost to the LSC. However, in compiling their report, the NAO did analyse LSC data for the period between October 2004 and March 2006 and found that where one party was publicly funded no agreement was reached in 43 per cent. of cases, compared to 40 per cent. of cases where both parties were publicly funded.
	With regard to the assessment of savings, the Legal Services Commission has done some initial work on this, but is currently considering the NAO recommendations and finalising the action plan which may include some assessment of projected savings to the legal aid budget.

Family Courts: Counselling

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effects on children in family disputes that have been resolved through  (a) mediation and  (b) the courts; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is as follows.
	 Mediation
	The Government believe that mediation can offer considerable advantages over going to court in the settling of family disputes, especially where children are involved.
	A survey was carried out by the Office for National Statistics in 2002. The survey indicated parents who made their own arrangements for children following relationship breakdown were far more satisfied than when the courts ordered arrangements. The policy aim is to increase the proportion of parents making arrangement for themselves. Mediation is one way of helping these parents.
	The provisions of the Children and Adoption Act 2006 will enable the court to direct parties in child contact disputes to attend a meeting about mediation. Referrals will also be encouraged through changes to court rules and forms, particularly in relation to disputes over children.
	The National Audit Office Report on legal aid and family mediation published in March 2007 was supportive of family mediation and concluded mediation could resolve cases significantly more quickly and could also reduce legal aid costs. However, it did not include a specific evaluation of effects on children.
	 Courts
	The Ministry of Justice (then DCA) has commissioned various pieces of research, which considered the effect on children in family disputes that have been resolved through the courts.
	A report by Liz Trinder published in March 2006, evaluated the process and effectiveness of in-court conciliation in contact cases as well as the relative effectiveness of three different models of in-court conciliation. In-court conciliation is another way to help parents reach agreement themselves.
	In September 2006, the consultation paper on the Separate Representation of Children was published. The consultation considered how to provide better outcomes for children whose parents are separating and to safeguard their interests in section 8 Children Act 1989 proceedings when their parents have turned to the courts to decide where the child shall live, and who the child should see. It also considered the question of judges and magistrates speaking directly to children to help them obtain an informed picture of the case. The consultation ended on 8 December and a response is due to be published shortly.

Nursery Schools: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children of nursery school age were in nursery education in  (a) Castle Point and  (b) Essex in each of the last five years.

Edward Balls: The available information is shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of three and four-year-olds benefiting from free early education places and the part-time equivalent number of free early education places filled by three and four-year-olds , C astle Point parliamentary constituency area , p osition in January each year 
			   Number of children benefiting from some free early  education  Part- time equivalent funded places filled  Part - time equivalent funded places filled per 100 children in the population 
			 2004 1,900 1,600 91 
			 2005 1,800 1,600 90 
			 2006 1,800 1,500 n/a 
			 2007 n/a n/a n/a 
			 n/a = Not available.  Notes:  1. ONS population estimates are aggregated to age groupings of at least five years. Figures based on a single year of age at the sub-national level are therefore of limited reliability.  2. A place is equal to five or more sessions and can be filled by more than one child.  3. Prior to 2004, information on early education places was derived from returns made by local authorities as part of the Nursery Education Grant (NEG) data collection exercise. These data were collected at local authority level, therefore, data at parliamentary constituency area are not available. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of three and four-year-olds benefiting from early education places and the part-time equivalent number of free early education places filled by three and four-year-olds ,  Essex local authority area , p osition in January each year 
			   Number of children benefiting from some free early education  Part- time equivalent funded places filled  Part- time equivalent funded places filled per 100 children in the population 
			 2003 n/a 26,600 85 
			 2004 31,300 26,700 87 
			 2005 30,800 26,300 88 
			 2006 30,200 26,000 88 
			 2007 30,600 26,400 88 
			 n/a = Not available.  Notes: 1. ONS population estimates are aggregated to age groupings of at least five years. Figures based on a single year of age at the sub-national level are therefore of limited reliability.  2. A place is equal to five or more sessions and can be filled by more than one child. 
		
	
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release (SFR) 19/2007 "Provision for children under five years of age in England: January 2007", available on my Department's website
	www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.
	The population estimates for the number of times three and four-year-olds in both Castle Point parliamentary constituency and Essex local authority indicate reduction over the periods shown in the tables.

Parents as Partners in Early Learning Project: Finance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what total budget has been allocated to the Parents as Partners in Early Learning project;
	(2)  if he will list the schemes which have received funding under the Parents as Partners in Early Learning project.

Beverley Hughes: A total of £9 million has been allocated in 2007-08 to support local authorities in developing and disseminating approaches to working effectively with hard-to-reach parents to support their children's early learning and development. We do not hold a list of individual schemes. The 41 authorities which have received funding to support a range of projects in their area is set out as follows:
	Birmingham
	Nottingham
	Kingston-upon-Hull, City of
	Lancashire
	Bristol, City of
	Wakefield
	Bradford
	Haringey
	Greenwich
	Manchester
	Hackney
	Lewisham
	Liverpool
	Kirklees
	Newcastle upon Tyne
	Newham
	Nottinghamshire
	Dudley
	Leeds
	Waltham Forest
	Islington
	Kent
	Doncaster
	Cumbria
	Tower Hamlets
	Leicester
	Blackburn with Darwen
	Sandwell
	Barking and Dagenham
	Barnsley
	Durham
	Middlesbrough
	Plymouth
	Sheffield
	Lambeth
	Thurrock
	Derbyshire
	Coventry
	Torbay
	Southwark
	Stoke-on-Trent

Pupils: Mental Health

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his latest estimate is of the number of school age pupils who have been prescribed drugs for  (a) depression,  (b) behaviour control and  (c) mental health problems in each year from 1996-97 to 2006-07; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
	Information is not available on the number of school-aged children who have been prescribed medication for depression, behaviour control or other mental health problems. However, data are available on the number of prescriptions dispensed to children under 16 years and those aged 16 to 18 years in full time education.
	Antidepressant drugs are classified under British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.3.
	
		
			  BNF 4.3: Antidepressant drugs 
			  Financial year  Items under 16  Items 16 to 18 in full time education 
			 1996-97 78,353 92,569 
			 1997-98 86,796 109,862 
			 1998-99 83,070 108,846 
			 1999-2000 86,152 104,256 
			 2000-01 99,299 119,645 
			 2001-02 112,914 130,887 
			 2002-03 119,566 144,331 
			 2003-04 104,733 144,607 
			 2004-05 94,905 122,246 
			 2005-06 107,965 107,268 
			 2006-07 109,535 103,023 
		
	
	Drugs for behaviour control are classified under BNF section 4.4: Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulants and drugs used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This section also contains Modafil which is used for daytime sleepiness associated with chronic pathological conditions including narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, and chronic shift work.
	
		
			  BNF 4.4: CNS stimulants and drugs used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 
			  Financial year  Items  u nder 16  Items 16 to 18 in full time education 
			 1996-97 48,264 2,058 
			 1997-98 86,247 3,388 
			 1998-99 112,294 4,596 
			 1999-2000 144,894 7,698 
			 2000-01 171,244 7,873 
			 2001-02 200,202 9,225 
			 2002-03 247,115 11,935 
			 2003-04 289,009 17,218 
			 2004-05 338,909 24,906 
			 2005-06 379,334 31,694 
			 2006-07 454,797 40,339 
		
	
	Drugs for mental health problems are classified in BNF section 4.2: Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders.
	
		
			  BNF 4.2: Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 
			  Financial year  Items under 16  Items 16 to 18 in full time education 
			 1996-97 19,466 25,038 
			 1997-98 21,368 27,807 
			 1998-99 22,666 22,484 
			 1999-2000 22,494 18,242 
			 2000-01 26,187 19,338 
			 2001-02 27,299 18,332 
			 2002-03 35,089 19,666 
			 2003-04 38,687 23,695 
			 2004-05 47,340 27,502 
			 2005-06 59,834 26,002 
			 2006-07 66,961 29,954 
			  Notes: 1. PCA data: Prescription information is taken from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system, supplied by the Prescription Pricing Division (PPD) of the Business Services Authority (BSA), and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community, i.e. by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospitals, including mental health trusts, or private prescriptions. 2. Prescription items: Prescriptions are written on a prescription form. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item. 3. Exemption category estimates: The exemption data are identified from the box ticked on the back of the prescription form and rely on the form being completed correctly which may not always be the case. Information for categories that are not required to pay a charge (e.g. children) is based on a one in 20 sample of all exempt prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists, appliance contractors and dispensing doctors. The information we have is therefore an estimate and subject to sampling errors. Children are defined as 0 to 15-year-olds, and as 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education. 4. Dispensing doctors: Data up to 2000 are not strictly comparable with data from later years. Up until September 2000 only patients having their prescriptions dispensed by the community pharmacists and appliance contractors were required to complete the back of the prescription form, but from October 2000 this requirement was extended to patients of dispensing doctors. Therefore data prior to October 2000 do not include prescriptions dispensed by dispensing doctors. 5. BNF classifications: The Prescription Cost Analysis system uses the therapeutic classifications defined in the British National Formulary (BNF). No information on why a drug is prescribed is available and since drugs can be prescribed to treat more than one condition it is impossible to separate the different conditions that a drug was prescribed for.

Schools: Compensation

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what total amount of compensation claims was made against schools in the last 12 months; and if he will list the 10 highest such claims, identifying the nature of each case.

Jim Knight: The Department does not collect this information.

Teenage Pregnancy

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the rate of conception in young people under the age of 18 years was in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 19 July 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the rate of conception in young people under the age of 18 years was in each of the last 10 years. I am replying in her absence. (150776)
	Available figures are estimates of the number of conceptions that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or legal, termination.
	The number and rate of conceptions to girls aged under 18 for England and Wales, 1996 to 2005 (the most recent year for which figures are available), are shown in the attached table. Figures for 2005 are provisional.
	
		
			  Conceptions by age: number and rate for England and Wales, 1996-2005( 1) 
			   Under 18 
			   Number  Rate( 2) 
			 1996 43,489 46 
			 1997 43,358 46 
			 1998 44,119 47 
			 1999 42,028 45 
			 2000 41,348 44 
			 2001 40,990 43 
			 2002 41,951 43 
			 2003 42,162 42 
			 2004 42,198 42 
			 2005(1) 42,187 41 
			 (1) Figures for 2005 are provisional. (2) Rate per 1,000 females aged 15 to 17.

Teenage Pregnancy Unit

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what budget was allocated to the Teenage Pregnancy Unit in each year since 2000; and what budget has been allocated to the unit for the next three years;
	(2)  what projects are being undertaken by the Teenage Pregnancy Unit;
	(3)  how many civil servants are working for the Teenage Pregnancy Unit; and what their job descriptions are;
	(4)  what percentage of teenage  (a) mothers and  (b) fathers were in education, training or employment in each of the last 10 years.

Beverley Hughes: The budget allocated to support delivery of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy since its launch in 1999 is provided in the following table. The table identifies separately the amounts spent on: local implementation (paid through a local implementation grant to each top-tier local authority in England); and the amount retained by the Teenage Pregnancy Unit (TPU) to pay for aspects of the strategy that are best managed centrally, such as funding for the national media campaign. Budgets for the next Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) period have not yet been fixed.
	
		
			  £ m illion 
			  Financial year  Local implementation  Central costs  Total 
			 1999-2000 4.5 0.5 5 
			 2000-01 11.5 4.5 16 
			 2001-02 16 5 21 
			 2002-03 16 5 21 
			 2003-04 (1)33 7 40 
			 2004-05 (1)33 7 40 
			 2005-06 (1)33 5 38 
			 2006-07 29.5 5.5 35 
			 2007-08 (provisional) 29.5 5.5 35 
			 (1 )Budgets in years 2003-04 to2005-06 included funding for the Sure Start Plus pilots 
		
	
	The main priorities for the TPU over the last 12 months have been: to deliver the 'national level' commitments set out in 'Teenage Pregnancy Next Steps: Guidance for Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts on Effective Delivery of Local Strategies'—designed to accelerate progress towards our target to halve the under-18 conception rate by 2010; and to develop a strategy to improve outcomes for teenage parents and their children, which will be published shortly.
	There are currently five civil servants who work in the TPU. Their job titles are:
	1. National Programme Manager
	2. National Policy Manager
	3. National Support Manager
	4. Support for Local Implementation
	5. Admin Officer
	No data are available on the proportion of teenage fathers in education, employment or training (EET). The proportion of teenage mothers aged 16-19 in EET has increased from an average of 23.1 per cent. for the period 1997-99, to an average of 29.2 per cent. for the period 2004-06.

Young People: Unemployment

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many 16 to 24 year olds in Gravesham are not in employment, education or training.

Beverley Hughes: We estimate from data provided by the Connexions Service that 2,970 16-18 year olds were not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the Kent local authority area at the end of 2006. This information cannot be broken down for the Gravesham area. Equivalent information is not available for 19-24 year olds.
	Data provided by Connexions services are used to set and monitor local authority NEET targets. However, it should be noted that figures are necessarily calculated on a different basis from that used in the Department's estimate for the national target; the national figure is a proportion of all young people whereas the local figures cover only those known to the Connexions Service.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Companies: Renewable Energy

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what incentives his Department has put in place to encourage local businesses to support the use of renewable energy in their offices and factories.

Malcolm Wicks: The Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 1 with a budget of £36 million over three years provides capital grants for the installation of microgeneration to households, schools, social and local authority housing, businesses, charities and the public sector. Further information on the programme can be found at www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk
	The Renewables Obligation (RO) is the Government's key mechanism for supporting new renewable generation and by 2010 it will be worth around £1 billion per year in terms of support to the renewables industry. It requires licensed electricity suppliers to source a specific and increasing percentage of their sales from renewable sources. Eligible renewable generators receive one Renewable Obligation Certificate (ROC) for each 1 MWh of electricity generated. However, to encourage more renewable generation from a wider range of sources, the Government are proposing to change the RO so that renewable technologies are awarded differentiated levels of support, for example, offshore wind could receive 1.5 ROCs/1 MWh and wave 2 ROCs/1 MWh. The Government are currently consulting on these proposals.

Departments: Legislation

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what criminal offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department's predecessor since October 2006.

Gareth Thomas: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much  (a) biogas derived from waste digestion processes,  (b) methane recovered from mine workings and  (c) methane recovered from landfill was produced in the last 12 months.

Malcolm Wicks: In 2005, the latest year for which statistics are currently available, the following quantities were used:
	
		
			   Thousand tonnes of oil equivalent 
			 Biogas from waste digestion processes 4.6 
			 Colliery methane 65.1 
			 Landfill gas 1,420.8 
			  Source: Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, 2006

Internet: Terrorism

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will take steps to regulate the hosting of websites which contain information on bomb-making.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 16 July 2007
	This is a matter of concern across Europe. The European Commission has indicated that it will propose amending the Framework Decision on combating Terrorism to criminalise the incitement to terrorism and the intentional transmission of information useful to terrorism, such as bomb-making instructions. A conference was held by the European Commission in March to discuss these proposals, at which officials from the Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office participated. Government officials continue to be engaged in discussions.
	There are provisions in the Terrorism Act 2006 to cover the hosting of websites which contain information on bomb-making. Under section 1, it is an offence to publish a statement that is likely to be understood as encouraging terrorism. Under section 2, it is an offence to disseminate a terrorist publication. These offences could cover the act of making available information on bomb-making on a website if the elements of the offences are satisfied.
	In addition, sections 3 and 4 of the Act establish an internet 'Notice and Takedown' procedure under which those such as content providers, editors and hosts of websites can be served with a notice requiring them to remove from public view or amend material which is considered to be unlawfully terrorism-related.
	Where the position of those who host websites is concerned, the Electronic Commerce Directive (Terrorism Act 2006) Regulation 2007, which implements the Electronic Commerce Directive in relation to the Terrorism Act, provides that where a host has actual knowledge that it is hosting unlawful terrorism-related material and it has failed to take down the material expeditiously on acquiring such knowledge, it may be liable under the Terrorism Act.

Postal Services: Scotland

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he has had with Scottish Ministers on the determination of access criteria for postal services in deprived and vulnerable communities in Scotland.

Patrick McFadden: The Secretary of State for Scotland was a member of MISC33, the Ministerial Committee that agreed Government's response to consultation, announced on 17 May 2007.

Retail Trade: Small Businesses

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the merits of providing incentives and funding to support the economic viability of independent town centre retailers.

Stephen Timms: No such assessment has been made. The Government are working in partnership with the retail industry to address issues of concern to all parts of the sector and create the conditions for its success. Independent retailers also have access to a full range of business support available to companies through the Business Link service.

Shops: Community Development

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if his Department will take steps to safeguard the role played in local communities by independent locally-run shops.

Stephen Timms: The Government recognise the importance of small and independent shops to vibrant and sustainable communities. We are also aware that there are concerns over the future of small and independent shops, particularly in the face of competition from large retailers. The Competition Commission currently has an inquiry underway into the grocery market, and is expected to publish its report in February 2008, well within the statutory deadline.
	Small retailers can access the same support and advice as any small business. Driven forward by my Department's Enterprise Directorate, we are continuing to improve and build on the delivery of services through the Business Link brand. Business Link provides the information, advice and support needed to start, maintain and grow a small business.
	In addition, the Government's Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI), which is sponsored by this Department, the Department for Communities and Local Government, and HM Treasury, is seeking to boost the local economies of England's most disadvantaged communities through enterprise development and investment. LEGI provides local institutions and communities with the authority and freedom to best determine local needs, options and solutions for enterprise development, which can include any that may be identified around local retail development.

Solar Power: Heating

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what proportion of residents use solar water heating systems in England.

Malcolm Wicks: The former DTI commissioned the Energy Saving Trust to carry out a study into the potential for microgeneration that was completed in November 2005. As part of the study, industry estimated that there had been 78,270 solar water heating system installations in the UK as at March 2005. Further information can be found at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file27558.pdf

Tidal Power: Severn Estuary

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what plans he has to commission an independent strategic evaluation of the options for exploration of tidal power in the Severn; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: A study of 'Tidal Power in the UK' currently under way and led by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) working together with my Department, Welsh Assembly Government, the devolved Administrations and the South West Regional Development Agency is looking in some detail at the issues arising on tidal power.
	The study will provide a strategic, independent and evidence-based consideration of all the environmental, social and economic aspects of and options for tidal power both in the Severn estuary and the wider UK from a sustainable development perspective.
	The final report is expected to be published in September and will help inform any future consideration of these issues. Further details of the study can be seen at
	www.sd-commission.org.uk/pages/tidal.html.

Utilities: Fees and Charges

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions he has had with Ofcom on the review of utility bill charges for people who do not pay by direct debit.

Stephen Timms: None, but my ministerial predecessor the right hon. Member for Barking (Margaret Hodge) raised the matter with the chief executive officer of the Office of Communications (Ofcom), the independent regulator. Ofcom announced on 6 June that it will carry out a full review of communications providers' additional charges. Ofcom expects to announce the conclusions of its review in the autumn and progress may be monitored on its website www.ofcom.org.uk
	The review will cover charges for non-direct debit payments, as well as other additional charges including late payment, restoration of service and early termination fees. It will cover fixed and mobile operators, and pay TV services. Ofcom will look at the nature and level of charges levied by communications providers and how well signposted and transparent such charges are. It will investigate how far consumers are aware of additional charges, whether they are able and willing to shop around on the basis of core prices and additional charges rather than just core prices, and whether there are certain groups of consumers who are unable to do this and therefore may be disadvantaged.
	On investigating this issue, it has become clear that it would be wrong to look at BT in isolation. More than 40 per cent. of homes are provided with telephony services by operators other than BT, and the differentials for payment by non-direct debit range from no extra charge to 15 a quarter. Some providers provide no payment option other than direct debit.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Automatic Number Plate Recognition

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will discuss with the Secretary of State for Transport extending the network of automatic number plate recognition cameras.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 16 July 2007
	Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) is an established technology that the police use to identify vehicles of interest through pattern recognition software. It is used to target terrorism, serious and organised crime, volume crime (such as burglary) and some vehicle documentation offences (for example, uninsured driving and road tax evasion). Police officers using the technology are achieving a significantly higher arrest rate and offences brought to justice rate when compared to conventional policing methods. The recent terrorist incidents in London and Glasgow demonstrated the usefulness of ANPR as an intelligence and analysis tool.
	The Government have invested over 32 million to support the deployment of ANPR for traffic and wider policing purposes. A number of other public organisations also use the technology, for example to support traffic management and congestion charging. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is in regular contact with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on matters of shared interest, including roads policing and enforcement and the role of technology in this and wider security matters. We will ensure that any benefits to engage criminality that can be derived from the use of the ANPR network will be balanced against the need to safeguard human rights and the privacy of individuals.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of alerts from the automatic number plate recognition system were found to be in error in each year since 2004.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 18 July 2007
	Police forces conduct rigorous pre and post-sales inspections of all ANPR equipment technology with the manufacturers to ensure for the long-term accuracy and reliability of the equipment.
	The proportion alerts from automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems found to be erroneous in each year since 2004 is not held centrally. However, the Home Office Police Standards Unit's evaluation 'Driving Crime DownDenying Criminals the Use of the Road', published in October 2004, said that
	feedback from the forces was that the ANPR systems were extremely accurateanecdotal evidence that fewer than one in 25 reads were incorrectthis virtually eradicated stopping vehicles where ANPR reader had misread the vehicle registration mark(VRM).

Border and Immigration Agency: Finance

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the total cost was of establishing the Immigration and Nationality Directorate as the Border and Immigration Agency;
	(2)  what the cost was of redesigning the Immigration and Nationality Directorate website, www.ind.homeoffice. gov.uk, for the new Border and Immigration Agency; and whether external consultants were involved in the redesign.

Jacqui Smith: The transition to Agency status of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate is a continuing project. It is expected that the transition to shadow Agency status will be delivered within the current resources available to the Department.
	The redesign of the website www.bia.homeoffice. gov.uk did not incur any extra costs as the work was done by an in-house developer.

Crimes of Violence: Alcoholic Drinks

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to tackle binge drinking-related violent crime.

Vernon Coaker: 'Safe, Sensible, Socialnext Steps for the national Alcohol Strategy' published on 5 June 2007 builds on the progress made and lessons learned in tackling binge drinking and violent crime since the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England was published in 2004. The renewed Strategy includes sharpened criminal justice for drunken behaviour, more help for people who want to drink less, local alcohol strategies and a public information campaign to promote a sensible drinking culture. In addition, we will continue to make full and better use of existing laws and licensing powers to bear down on irresponsibly managed bars, pubs, and off licenses. The Government have also introduced provisions in the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, which include Alcohol Disorder Zones, and Directions to Leave to help support the police and local authorities in tackling alcohol related crime and disorder.

Cryptography: Orders and Regulations

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to lay the statutory instrument relating to encryption under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Tony McNulty: The statutory instrument relating to encryption, the draft Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Investigation of Protected Electronic Information: Code of Practice) Order 2007, was laid before Parliament on 14 June and considered in Committee on 17 July. Subject to parliamentary approval of the report from Committee, the relevant Commencement Order will be laid. The effect of both Orders will be to commence the provisions of Part 3 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 on 1 October and to bring into force a statutory code of practice relating to the exercise of those provisions on the same day.

Entry Clearances

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the latest figures are for the number of people with exceptional leave to remain who have applied for indefinite leave to remain and whose cases are awaiting a decision.

Liam Byrne: Specialist casework teams in the Border and Immigration Agency are dealing with about 2,000(1 )cases which represent the identified applications not yet decided. A stocktaking exercise is in progress to match data records to files and to identify any cases still requiring a decision held in other parts of the Border and Immigration Agency. Statistics for these cases need verification.
	(1)Figures rounded to the nearest 25 as of 10 July 2007. The above data is not provided under the National Statistics protocols. It has been derived from local management information and is therefore provisional and subject to change.

Immigration Controls: Uniforms

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which organisation designed the uniform for border security staff for the pilot programme; whether the same uniform will be used for the full roll-out of the programme; and what the cost was of commissioning the uniform design for  (a) the pilot and  (b) the full roll-out.

Jacqui Smith: Alexandra plc. was selected to design the uniform worn by front-line border control staff during the pilot.
	The cost of the uniforms pilot was 18,192.55 plus VAT. Following evaluation of the uniforms pilot, minor amendments were made to the design and the fabrics of the uniform to be rolled out.
	The cost element of designing the new uniform was incorporated in the total cost of the uniform. The final costs for roll out of uniforms to border control front-line operational staff and the cost element of designing the new uniform cannot be finalised until the supplier has assessed and actioned the total number of orders.

Members: Correspondence

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will reply to the letters of  (a) 2 July,  (b) 14 June and  (c) 11 May 2007 from the hon. Member for Woking on Mr. Everet West (HO ref. B17322/7).

Liam Byrne: A reply was sent to the hon. Member's office by the Border and Immigration Agency on 17 July.

Minister for the West Midlands

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions the Minister for Borders and Immigration has had with her on the amount of time away from her Department which will be required following his appointment as Minister for the West Midlands.

Jacqui Smith: I meet regularly with each of my ministerial team to discuss both their portfolios and the policy and operational issues which arise from them.

Police: Databases

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many records were held on the Police National Computer in each of the last 10 years.

Jacqui Smith: The following table shows the number of records held in the Names database on PNC. This includes Arrests, Convictions, Disqualified Drivers, Wanted and Missing.
	There are other databases on the PNC: Property, Vehicles and Drivers. The records for the last two databases originate from the databases at the DVLA.
	
		
			  Persons records 
			  As of 1 January  each year  Number 
			 1996 5,466,471 
			 1997 5,538,843 
			 1998 5,689,967 
			 1999 5,926,646 
			 2000 6,135,889 
			 2001 6,114,860 
			 2002 6,143,693 
			 2003 6,268,543 
			 2004 6,300,632 
			 2005 6,462,801 
			 2006 6,788,811 
			 2007 7,321,300

Police: Eastern Region

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding has been allocated to the police per head of population in  (a) Suffolk and  (b) the East of England for 2007-08.

Tony McNulty: The Government do not distribute grant to police authorities purely on the basis of population. The police funding formula uses a range of data relating to demographic and social characteristics to reflect the relative needs of each authority. Grant allocations also take into account the relative tax base of each authority. Grant allocations are stabilised by damping to limit year-on-year variations.
	The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Police authority  Total grants 2007-08( 1)  ( million)  Resident Population mid-2005( 2 ) (million)  Funding per head of population 2007-08 () 
			 Bedfordshire 79.04 0.58 136.28 
			 Cambridgeshire 88.86 0.75 118.48 
			 Essex 202.06 1.65 122.46 
			 Hertfordshire 130.57 1.05 124.35 
			 Norfolk 107.12 0.82 130.63 
			 Suffolk 83.20 0.69 120.58 
			 Total East England 690.85 5.54 124.70 
			 Total England 8,884.81 50.42 176.22 
			 (1 )Total grants comprise: Home Office Police Grant, DCLG Revenue Support Grant and National Non-Domestic Rates; Special Formula grant, Specific Grants: Crime Fighting Fund, Neighbourhood Policing Fund, Basic Command Unit Fund, Community Support Officer Funding, Pension Deficit Grant and Dedicated Security Post funding and Capital provision (including the increased capital allocations announced on 24 May and 19 June 2007). (2 )Population Data sourced by the Office for National Statistics from the mid-2005 population estimates.

Police: Grants

Eric Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grants were provided to  (a) the Crime Reduction partnership in Carlisle,  (b) Carlisle city council and  (c) Cumbria county council for safety and policing in each year since 2003-04.

Vernon Coaker: Grant allocations made to Carlisle city council and subsequently to Cumbria county council and available to the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership in each year since 2003-04 are set out in the following table.
	
		
			   
			   Building Safer Communities and ASB Co-ordinators Grant (paid to Carlisle city council)  Safer and Stronger Communities Fund (paid to Cumbria county council) 
			 2003-04 145,401  
			 2004-05 158,166  
			 2005-06  832,100 
			 2006-07  832,100 
			 2007-08  3,721,584 
		
	
	These figures reflect the fact that the Building Safer Communities Fund and Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinators Grant was pooled within the Safer and Stronger Communities Fund in 2005-06 along with the Drugs Strategy Partnership Support Grant. This pooling was an initial step in the development of Local Area Agreements (LAAs) and saw partnership funding paid to Unitary and Upper Tier Authorities. Cumbria, an Upper Tier Authority, received funding that was originally allocated to Allerdale, Copeland, Barrow, Carlisle, Eden and South Lakeland CDRPs.
	The 2007-08 figures are not directly comparable with previous years because the pooled budget now includes a larger number of funding streams. Cumbria county council and its partners are now able to use this grant flexibly to deliver a wide range of outcomes, including reductions in crime, anti social behaviour and the harms caused by drugs.
	The figures exclude any funding allocated to the CDRP that has been targeted at specific initiatives, such as the Street Crime Initiative and the Tackling Violent Crime Programme, and any discretionary allocations made by the Regional Director. Data on those funding allocations are not held centrally, or would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Police: Labour Turnover

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers resigned from the police within  (a) six months,  (b) one year and  (c) two years of starting their employment in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: No breakdown of leaving categories by length of service is collected centrally and so the requested information is not available.

Police: Recruitment

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were recruited in  (a) Hampshire and  (b) England in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: The available data are contained in the following table. Figures prior to 2002-03 were not collected on a comparable basis by the Home Office.
	
		
			  Police officer recruits( 1)  to police forces from 2002-03 to 2005-06( 2) , FTE 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Hampshire 267 282 204 244 
			 England 7,148 10,497 7,732 6,260 
			 (1) Recruits included those officers joining as police standard direct recruits and those who were previously special constables. This excludes police officers on transfers from other forces and those rejoining. (2) Financial year runs 1 April to 31 March inclusive. Comparable data are not available prior to 2002-03.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Adult Education

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills when he last reviewed the definition of non-priority adult education; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Government funding priorities in further education (FE) have been clearly set out in the Skills Strategy White Paper in 2003, 21st Century SkillsRealising our Potential, reinforced in the 2005 Skills Strategy White Paper, 'Getting on in business; getting on at work' and in the White Paper on FE reform, 'FE, Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances' (published in March 2006). Most recently, the priorities have been laid out in the Department's response (published 18 July 2007-www.dius.gov.uk/publications) to Lord Leitch's report to Government on UK skills, 'Prosperity for all in the global economyWorld class skills.'
	These priorities have been implemented through the Secretary of State for Education and Skills' annual grant letters to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). In turn the LSC communicates the priorities to the FE sector through their Annual Statement of Priorities. The most recent 'Annual Statement of Priorities-Raising Our Game' was published in October 2006 and forthcoming priorities for 2008/09 will be published in October 2007 when the CSR settlement is announced.
	Government are focusing its resources on these priorities; other provision may be important, but these are where we will focus the majority of public provision.

Charity Research Support Fund

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  if he will consider providing the Charity Research Support Fund as a fixed percentage uplift based on the level of funding received by universities from charities;
	(2)  what factors were taken into account in calculating how much Charity Research Support Fund funding to make available to universities in each financial year up to 2012;
	(3)  how much Charity Research Support Fund funding he plans to make available to universities in each financial year up to 2012.

Bill Rammell: The Charity Research Support Fund is worth 180 million in the current year. Funding allocations for future years will be announced at the appropriate time.

Departments: Ministerial Red Boxes

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many ministerial red boxes the Department has bought since establishment; what the cost of each was; who the suppliers were; and what tendering process was used in selecting them.

David Lammy: None.

Departments: Targets

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills for which public service agreement targets of the former  (a) Department for Education and Skills and  (b) Department of Trade and Industry his Department has responsibility.

John Denham: The public service agreements are listed as follows.
	Improve the basic skills levels of 2.25 million adults between the launch of Skills for Life in 2001 and 2010, with a milestone of 1.5 million in 2007.
	Reduce by at least 40 per cent. the number of adults in the workforce who lack NVQ2 or equivalent qualifications by 2010. Working towards this, one million adults in the workforce achieve level 2 between 2003 and 2006.
	By 2015, increase participation in higher education towards 50 per cent. of those aged 18 to 30 and also make significant progress year on year towards fair access, and bear down on rates of non-completion.
	Improve the relative international performance of the UK research base and increase the overall innovation performance of the UK economy, making continued progress to 2008, including through effective knowledge transfer among universities, research institutions and business.

Educational Institutions: Standards

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which educational institutions did not achieve their benchmark for completion rates in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: The relevant information is taken from table T5 of the Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by HESA since 2002-03 and by HEFCE until 2001-02. This gives the proportion of UK-domiciled entrants to full-time first degree courses who are projected to neither obtain an award nor transfer to another course. The information is shown in the following tables.
	The benchmarks are not targets. They are adjusted sector averages, calculated for each institution for each indicator, to help institutions gauge their own performance.
	
		
			  Institutions in England which underperformed their benchmark for non-completion in 2003-04 
			  Institution  Proportion projected to neither obtain award nor transfer  Benchmark 
			 The University of Bolton 35.0 23.1 
			 The University of Central Lancashire 21.7 18.4 
			 University of Chester 18.8 17.0 
			 Coventry University 21.7 19.1 
			 University of Derby 24.0 21.7 
			 The University of East London 27.1 25.5 
			 Edge Hill College of Higher Education 21.5 18.8 
			 Goldsmiths College 17.9 15.9 
			 The University of Greenwich 21.8 21.3 
			 Kent Institute of Art and Design 17.5 15.5 
			 Liverpool Hope University 22.5 18.5 
			 London Metropolitan University 27.4 25.5 
			 London South Bank University 27.6 25.4 
			 University of Luton 22.4 20.1 
			 The Manchester Metropolitan University 23.4 20.1 
			 The University of Northampton 21.5 18.4 
			 The University of Northumbria at Newcastle 16.7 16.2 
			 Roehampton University 21.7 17.0 
			 College of St. Mark and St. John 35.8 32.3 
			 St. Mary's College 18.5 16.2 
			 The University of Salford 20.4 18.9 
			 The School of Oriental and African Studies 18.6 14.1 
			 Staffordshire University 20.4 18.6 
			 The University of Sunderland 20.1 17.6 
			 Trinity Laban 17.0 13.9 
			 University of the West of England, Bristol 20.6 16.9 
			 The University of Westminster 21.4 20.8 
			 The University of Wolverhampton 23.9 20.4 
			 University of Worcester 19.5 16.4 
			  Source: Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by HESA 
		
	
	
		
			  Institutions in England which underperformed their benchmark for non- completion in 2002-03 
			  Institution  Proportion projected to neither obtain award nor transfer  Benchmark 
			 Bolton Institute of Higher Education 31.9 23.0 
			 The University of Bradford 18.6 18.2 
			 City University 15.4 14.9 
			 Cranfield University 21.3 18.0 
			 Darlington College of Arts 23.0 15.3 
			 University of Derby 27.0 20.9 
			 The University of East Anglia 12.7 11.7 
			 The University of East London 26.0 24.3 
			 Edge Hill College of Higher Education 19.1 18.9 
			 Falmouth College of Arts 17.0 15.1 
			 Goldsmiths College 17.5 15.6 
			 The University of Greenwich 25.0 20.6 
			 The University of Huddersfield 20.0 19.1 
			 Kent Institute of Art and Design 19.5 15.1 
			 Liverpool Hope University College 23.6 17.6 
			 Liverpool John Moores University 22.9 18.0 
			 London South Bank University 25.6 24.3 
			 University of Luton 23.4 18.3 
			 Middlesex University 25.1 21.7 
			 Newman College of HE 18.6 18.4 
			 University College Northampton 18.8 17.9 
			 The Nottingham Trent University 15.4 14.5 
			 The University of Portsmouth 18.9 17.7 
			 Roehampton University 17.4 16.7 
			 St. George's Hospital Medical School 9.5 5.8 
			 St. Mary's College 16.8 15.5 
			 The University of Sheffield 7.8 7.3 
			 Staffordshire University 21.1 18.0 
			 The University of Sunderland 26.8 17.9 
			 Thames Valley University 25.0 21.4 
			 Trinity College of Music 19.7 13.5 
			 The University of Westminster 22.9 20.6 
			 University College Worcester 17.9 15.4 
			 Writtle College 18.9 18.1 
			  Source: Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by HESA 
		
	
	
		
			  Institutions in England which underperformed their benchmark for non- completion in 2001-02 
			  Institution  Proportion projected to neither obtain award nor transfer  Benchmark 
			 Aston University 10.3 10.2 
			 Bolton Institute of Higher Education 35.8 23.1 
			 University of Central England in Birmingham 19.8 17.6 
			 The University of Central Lancashire 26.0 19.5 
			 De Montfort University 17.5 16.0 
			 University of Derby 20.6 19.5 
			 The University of East London 28.0 24.1 
			 The University of Essex 14.7 14.1 
			 University of Gloucestershire 21.5 16.7 
			 The University of Greenwich 22.9 21.2 
			 The University of Huddersfield 21.3 18.5 
			 The University of Lincoln 22.2 19.3 
			 Liverpool Hope University College 23.7 19.2 
			 Liverpool John Moores University 22.0 17.1 
			 London Metropolitan University 28.1 24.2 
			 University of Luton 24.8 18.8 
			 The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology 11.8 9.9 
			 Middlesex University 26.8 21.0 
			 University College Northampton 25.4 17.9 
			 The University of Reading 10.7 10.4 
			 University of Surrey, Roehampton 20.5 17.9 
			 Royal Academy of Music 15.1 8.7 
			 Royal Northern College of Music 19.1 9.2 
			 The University of Salford 20.0 17.4 
			 The School of Oriental and African Studies 16.5 13.6 
			 Staffordshire University 18.5 18.2 
			 The University of Sunderland 26.9 18.5 
			 The University of Sussex 14.4 12.6 
			 Thames Valley University 25.4 21.0 
			 Trinity College of Music 21.6 10.3 
			 University of the West of England, Bristol 21.1 17.3 
			 Wimbledon School of Art 15.9 13.2 
			 The University of Wolverhampton 23.9 19.2 
			 University College Worcester 18.3 15.8 
			  Source: Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by HESA 
		
	
	
		
			  Institutions in England which underperformed their benchmark for non- completion in 2000-01 
			  Institution  Proportion projected to neither obtain award nor transfer  Benchmark 
			 Bolton Institute of Higher Education 32.4 24.5 
			 Canterbury Christ Church University College 20.2 18.3 
			 University College Chester 18.4 17.1 
			 Cranfield University 18.2 17.0 
			 Darlington College of Arts 20.9 16.6 
			 De Montfort University 21.3 18.4 
			 University of Derby 23.3 20.4 
			 University of East London 28.7 25.1 
			 University of Exeter 9.4 9.2 
			 University of Gloucestershire 26.6 18.2 
			 University of Huddersfield 21.6 19.7 
			 Kent Institute of Art and Design 15.4 15.2 
			 King's College London 8.3 7.7 
			 University of Leicester 11.2 8.9 
			 Liverpool Hope University College 26.0 22.2 
			 Liverpool John Moores University 20.9 18.4 
			 University of London 10.3 9.2 
			 London Guildhall University 35.0 24.9 
			 London South Bank University 33.7 25.2 
			 University of Luton 25.7 20.7 
			 University of Manchester 8.3 8.1 
			 Middlesex University 24.7 22.3 
			 University of North London 39.5 25.6 
			 School of Oriental and African Studies 17.4 14.7 
			 School of Pharmacy 7.8 7.6 
			 Queen Mary, University of London 12.9 12.8 
			 Ravensbourne College 18.1 16.5 
			 Royal Academy of Music 11.4 10.6 
			 Royal Veterinary College 3.5 2.1 
			 St. George's Hospital Medical School 5.7 4.6 
			 University of Salford 20.1 18.9 
			 Southampton Institute 20.9 20.0 
			 Staffordshire University 19.7 19.4 
			 University of Sunderland 26.5 19.7 
			 Surrey Institute of Art and Design University College 15.4 15.2 
			 Thames Valley University 28.2 22.5 
			 Trinity College of Music 22.6 16.1 
			 University of West of England, Bristol 19.1 17.2 
			 Wimbledon School of Art 16.5 13.6 
			 University of Wolverhampton 24.2 20.5 
			  Source: Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by HESA 
		
	
	
		
			  Institutions in England which underperformed their benchmark for non-completion in 1999-2000 
			  Institution  Proportion projected to neither obtain award nor transfer  Benchmark 
			 Anglia Polytechnic University 26.6 21.0 
			 Aston University, Birmingham 12.3 11.3 
			 Bolton Institute of Higher Education 30.4 24.9 
			 University of Bradford 17.0 15.6 
			 University of Central Lancashire 33.5 26.1 
			 Central School of Speech and Drama 17.3 15.1 
			 Coventry University 22.1 21.1 
			 Darlington College of Arts 24.4 17.1 
			 University of Derby 24.0 22.1 
			 University of East London 33.0 26.0 
			 University of Gloucestershire 19.6 18.4 
			 University of Greenwich 26.0 23.2 
			 University of Huddersfield 25.3 20.4 
			 Imperial College 7.9 5.5 
			 King's College London 9.5 8.0 
			 Kingston University 21.0 20.9 
			 Liverpool Hope University College 22.6 22.5 
			 Liverpool John Moores University 21.8 18.6 
			 London Guildhall University 29.7 24.6 
			 University of Luton 25.9 21.3 
			 University of Manchester 9.1 8.3 
			 University College Northampton 28.9 19.8 
			 University of North London 44.8 26.7 
			 School of Oriental and African Studies 29.1 17.1 
			 RCN Institute 18.0 17.6 
			 University of Reading 11.9 11.6 
			 St. George's Hospital Medical School 3.4 2.8 
			 St. Mary's College 17.3 17.0 
			 South Bank University 28.3 26.0 
			 Staffordshire University 22.7 20.1 
			 University of Sunderland 27.8 20.9 
			 Thames Valley University 28.6 21.6 
			 Trinity College of Music 39.3 17.4 
			 University of West of England, Bristol 21.2 18.7 
			  Source: Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by HESA 
		
	
	The 2004-05 figures will become available on 19 July 2007.

Foundation Degrees: Finance

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will estimate the full cost of foundation degrees since their inception, including all advertising and development; and how much of that sum is recurrent funding.

Bill Rammell: We have estimated the total cost for foundation degrees over the five years since the first courses started in 2001. Table 1, line 1 shows for each of the last five academic years (2001/02 to 2005/06) the recurrent funding which the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) allocated to foundation degrees, amounting to 332 million. Line 2 shows development funding from HEFCE over the same period, amounting to 20 million. Table 2 shows the funding allocated by the then Department for Education and Skills for the advertising of foundation degrees over the financial years 2001-02 to 2005-06, amounting to 7 million.
	
		
			   million 
			  Foundation degrees  2001/02  2002/03  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06  Total 
			 HEFCE Notional Recurrent Grant 9 30 54 98 140 332 
			 HEFCE Development 2 1 1 6 6 20 
		
	
	
		
			   million 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  Total 
			 Advertising 2 0.5 3 0.5 1 7

Higher Education: Admissions

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what proportion of students applied for a university place on completion of their A-levels in  (a) Cornwall,  (b) the South West and  (c) England in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: The latest available figures on participation in higher education by local authority and region based on students entering courses were published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in January 2005 in 'Young Participation in England', which is available from their website at:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2005/05_03/
	This report shows participation rates for young people who enter higher education aged 18 or 19, disaggregated by local authority and region, for the years 1997 to 2000. The figures for Cornwall local authority, the South West region and the comparable figure for England, are shown in the table. HEFCE have not produced participation rates beyond 2000.
	
		
			  Young Participation Rate (YPR (A)) in Higher Education ( 1 ) for year cohort aged 18 
			   Cohort for Cornwall( 2 ) (number)  Young Participation Rate (A) for Cornwall( 3 ) (percentage)  Cohort for South West( 2 ) (number)  Young Participation Rate (A) for South West (percentage)  Young Participation Rate (A) for England (percentage) 
			 1997 5,750 31 55,000 30.7 29.2 
			 1998 6,070 29 57,900 29.1 28.8 
			 1999 5,940 29 56,500 29.1 29.2 
			 2000 5,720 30 55,200 30.0 29.9 
			 (1 )Covers all students studying Higher Education Courses at UK Higher Education Institutions and other UK institutions, for example Further Education Colleges. (2 )Cohorts are reported to the nearest 10. (3 )Young Participation Rates for local authorities are reported to the nearest per cent.  Source: Higher Education Funding Council for England. 
		
	
	The main measure for tracking progress on increasing participation is currently the Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR). This is the sum of the HE initial participation rates for individual ages between 17 and 30 inclusive. It covers English-domiciled first time entrants to HE courses, which are expected to last for at least six months, at UK Higher Education Institutions and English, Scottish and Welsh Further Education Colleges, and who remain on their course for at least six months. The latest provisional figure for 2005-06 is 43 per cent. The HEIPR is not calculated at local authority or regional level.
	The HEIPR is available from the academic year 1999-00. It is the sum of the age specific initial participation rates for ages 17-30. The age specific initial participation rate for eighteen year olds is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of initial entrants  HEIPR for 18 year olds (percentage) 
			 1999/2000 115,100 19.3 
			 2000/01 114,000 19.5 
			 2001/02 118,20d 19.6 
			 2002/03 122,40q 19.7 
			 2003/04 124,700 19.2 
			 2004/05 127,200 19.6 
			 2005/06 141,700 21.3 
			  Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 100. 
		
	
	The figures in the tables cover the whole population not just those completing their A-Levels.

Higher Education: European Union

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many EU domiciled undergraduate students are expected to begin courses at higher education institutions in 2006.

Bill Rammell: Figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) show that 18,280 EU domiciled applicants were accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses at UK higher education institutions at the start of the 2006-07 academic year.

Higher Education: Finances

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what plans he has to sustain the dual support system for universities.

Bill Rammell: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister informed the House on 28 June 2007,  Official Report, column 36WS, the Government have no plans to change the current dual support arrangements for the public funding of research.

Higher Education: Mathematics

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on mathematics support in universities; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Department has not recently commissioned or evaluated any research on mathematics support in universities, meeting the perceived shortcomings of students with 'A' level mathematics.

Higher Education: Ministerial Responsibility

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which Minister in his Department has responsibility for  (a) further and  (b) higher education.

John Denham: The ministerial responsibilities within my Department are set out as follows:
	 Minister of State, Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, Bill Rammell, MP will be responsible for:
	Further Education strategy and implementation
	Skills strategy and implementation, including Leitch delivery
	The Learning and Skills Council
	Standards and performance in further education and skills, including the Quality Improvement Agency
	Higher Education strategy and implementation, including widening participation and part-time learners
	Employer Engagement in Higher Education
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England
	Student finance policy
	Liaison between further and higher education
	International relations and the Joint International Unit, including the Prime Minister's initiative on overseas HE students
	Liaison with the Department for Children, Schools and Families
	Liaison with the Department for Work and Pensions
	 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills, David Lammy, MP will be responsible for:
	The Commission for Employment and Skills
	Sector Skills Councils and employer relations
	The Train to Gain programme
	National Skills Academies
	Apprenticeships
	Offender learning and skills
	Skills competitions, World Skills, and links to the Olympics
	Investors in People UK
	Ufi learndirect
	Industry Training Boards
	Union learning, including union learning representatives and unionlearn
	Leitch implementation plan
	Diversity aspects of skills
	 Minister of State for Science and Innovation, Ian Pearson, MP will be responsible for:
	Business and Science
	The Research Base
	The Research Councils
	Innovation
	The Technology Strategy Board
	British National Space Centre
	National Weights and Measures Laboratory
	The Design Council
	The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, liaising with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
	Liaison with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
	Energy Technologies Institute
	Commission for Environmental Markets and Economic Performance
	 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Intellectual Property and Quality, Lord Triesman will be Lords Minister for the whole Department and responsible for:
	The Student Loans Company (and Customer First programme)
	The student loan debt sale
	Endowments and voluntary giving for higher education
	Quality assurance of Higher Education
	UK-Intellectual Property Office
	Students as 'customers'
	Scenario building across DIUS
	Departmental efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability.

Science: Wales

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on science policy in Wales; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on research funding in Welsh universities; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Department has maintained regular contact with the devolved Administrations, including the Welsh Assembly, on research capital funding to maintain the research infrastructure of UK universities.

Skilled Workers: Construction

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what action his Department is taking in conjunction with public agencies and other interested parties to stimulate traditional skills development in the heritage construction industry.

David Lammy: ConstructionSkills is the lead Sector Skills Council for the heritage construction industry. ConstructionSkills is working with a range of public agencies to stimulate traditional skills development. The National Heritage Training Group, which is supported by ConstructionSkills, has a UK wide remit to provide assistance with all aspects of recruiting, training, and qualifying the built heritage sector workforce. A number of measures are being taken by ConstructionSkills, the National Heritage Training group and others to improve the qualifications and delivery of heritage skills. These include the training of FE trainers, the development of a Heritage Skills NVQ at level 3, development of occupational standards in Architectural Conservation, mentoring programmes, Regional Heritage Action Groups, and the establishment of Heritage Skills Academies. In addition there is a programme of marketing and promotional work, including the ConstructionSkills 'Make Your Mark' pack that that promotes construction skills careers to secondary school students.

Student Numbers: Part Time Education

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many part-time undergraduates there were at each relevant institution in the last five years for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: This information is published annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in their Students in Higher Education Institutions reference volumes, copies of which are available from the House of Commons Library.

Student Wastage

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the non-completion rates were for students studying  (a) foundation degrees,  (b) honours degrees and  (c) Higher National Diplomas in each of the last 10 years, broken down by subject of degree.

Bill Rammell: Non-continuation rates by subject of study are available in supplementary tables as part of the Performance Indicators in Higher Education publication, published by HESA. Figures are available for the following UK-domiciled entrants to UK higher education institutions:
	Young entrants to full-time first degree courses;
	Mature entrants to full-time first degree courses;
	Entrants to full-time other undergraduate courses (only available from 2002/03).
	Figures are available up to and including 2003/04. The 2004/05 figures will become available on 19 July when HESA releases the next set of Performance Indicators in Higher Education. The information is shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: Proportion of UK-domiciled young entrants to full-time first degree courses who are no longer in higher education after one year of study 
			  Percentage 
			   1999/2000  2000/01  2001/02  2002/03  2003/04 
			 Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science 2.0 2 2.4 1 .8 2.0 
			 Subjects Allied to Medicine 6.3 6 5.9 6.4 7.7 
			 Biological Sciences(1) (1)6.9 (1)6 (1)6.1 (1)7.1 7.3 
			 Physical Sciences(1) (1) (1) (1) (1) 6.1 
			 Agriculture And Related Subjects 6.8 7 11.4 7.5 8.3 
			 Mathematical Sciences(2) (2)9.8 (2)8 (2)8.4 (2)9.4 5.5 
			 Computer Sciences(2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 10.3 
			 Engineering  Technology 10.1 9 8.9 10.0 10.1 
			 Architecture, Building, Planning 9.6 8 10.2 11.1 10.0 
			 Social Studies(3) (3)6.9 (3)6 (3)6.4 (3)7.0 7.2 
			 Law(3) (3) (3) (3) (3) 6.2 
			 Librarianship, Information Sciences(4) (4)6.9 (4)8 (4)8.2 n/a n/a 
			 Business  Administrative Studies(4, 5) (4) (4) (4) (5)8.8 8.8 
			 Mass Communications  Documentation(5) n/a n/a n/a (5) 8.5 
			 Humanities(6) (6)5.9 (6)5 (6)5.7 n/a n/a 
			 Languages(6)(, 7) (6) (6) (6) (7)6.3 6.3 
			 Historical  Philosophical Studies(7) n/a n/a n/a (7) 5.9 
			 Creative Arts  Design 8.7 8 8.3 8.2 8.4 
			 Education 8.6 8 8.1 8.0 7.5 
			 Combined Subjects 8.8 8 8.2 14.3 13.5 
			 All Subjects 7.8 7 7.3 7.8 7.7 
			  Note: Figures for 2000/01 are only available to the nearest integer.  Source:  Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Proportion of UK-domiciled mature entrants to full-time first degree courses who are no longer in higher education after one year of study 
			   1999/2000  2000/01  2001/02  2002/03  2003/04 
			 Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science 2 3 3.1 2.9 2.8 
			 Subjects Allied to Medicine 12 10 11.2 11.8 12.5 
			 Biological Sciences(1) (1)17 (1)15 (1)18.0 (1)17.7 17.5 
			 Physical Sciences(1) (1) (1) (1) (1) 16.8 
			 Agriculture  Related Subjects 16 13 18.0 14.5 12.3 
			 Mathematical Sciences(2) (2)20 (2)18 (2)18.4 (2)20.3 18.7 
			 Computer Sciences(2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 19.0 
			 Engineering  Technology 20 19 16.9 19.7 21.3 
			 Architecture, Building, Planning 17 17 16.9 15.9 17.2 
			 Social Studies(3) (3)15 (3)15 (3)14.8 (3)15.4 14.3 
			 Law(3) (3) (3) (3) (3) 17.7 
			 Librarianship, Information Sciences(4) (4)17 (4)16 (4)16.8 n/a n/a 
			 Business  Administrative Studies(4, 5) (4) (4) (4) (5)18.0 19.2 
			 Mass Communications  Documentation(5) n/a n/a n/a (5) 16.7 
			 Humanities(6) (6)16 (6)14 (6)14.8 n/a n/a 
			 Languages(6)(, 7) (6) (6) (6) (7)15.6 15.7 
			 Historical  Philosophical Studies7 n/a n/a n/a (7) 15.8 
			 Creative Arts  Design 13 12 13.0 12.1 14.4 
			 Education 12 11 10.2 10.1 11.8 
			 Combined Subjects 19 18 18.2 23.2 19.9 
			 All Subjects 16 14 14.9 15.4 15.6 
			  Note: Figures for 1999/2000 and 2000/01 are only available to the nearest integer.  Source: Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Proportion of UK-domiciled entrants to full-time other undergraduate courses who are no longer in higher education after one year of study 
			   2002/03  2003/04 
			 Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science 17.9 8.0 
			 Subjects Allied to Medicine 11.2 10.6 
			 Biological Sciences(1) (1)23.5 24.0 
			 Physical Sciences(1) (1) 21.8 
			 Agriculture  Related Subjects 19.8 24.3 
			 Mathematical Sciences(2) (2)24.1 18.4 
			 Computer Sciences(2) (2) 23.5 
			 Engineering  Technology 21.0 25.2 
			 Architecture, Building, Planning 30.1 22.1 
			 Social Studies(3) (3)16.1 23.4 
			 Law(3) (3) 17.5 
			 Business  Administrative Studies(4,)(5) (5)23.4 27.3 
			 Mass Communications  Documentation(5) (5) 21.1 
			 Languages(6)(, 7) (7)37.9 39.9 
			 Historical  Philosophical Studies(7) (7) 49.9 
			 Creative Arts  Design 17.7 18.3 
			 Education 24.3 19.6 
			 Combined Subjects 17.2 27.4 
			 All Subjects 16.8 17.5 
			 (1) One figure was provided for Biological and Physical Sciences until 2003/04. (2 )One figure was provided for Mathematical and Computer Sciences until 2003/04. (3) One figure was provided for Social Studies and Law until 2003/04. (4 )One figure was provided for Librarianship, information Sciences and Business  administrative studies until 2002/03. (5 )One figure was provided for Business  administrative studies and Mass communications  documentation in 2002/03. (6 )One figure was provided for Languages and Humanities until 2002/03. (7 )One figure was provided for Languages and Historical  Philosophical Studies in 2002/03.  Notes:  1. n/a = Not applicable.  2. There is a break in the time series between academic years 2001/02 and 2002/03 because the subjects' JACS codings were changed in 2002/03.  Source: Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Student Wastage

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the non-completion rate was of students on  (a) prescribed and  (b) non-prescribed higher education courses in further education colleges in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: The Learning and Skills Council provides success rates of students studying at English further education colleges. These are the number of qualifications achieved expressed as a percentage of the number started. Success rates for learners studying for level 4, 5 or higher level courses are provided here as a proxy for higher education, and many of these courses are likely to be non-prescribed higher education. The success rates are shown in the table:
	
		
			  Success rates for higher education level courses in English further education colleges 
			  Year completed  Success rate (percentage) 
			 2001/02 38 
			 2002/03 43 
			 2003/04 59 
			 2004/05 59 
			 2005/06 62 
			  Source:  Further Education and Work Based LearningLearner Outcomes in England: 2005/06 (ILR/SFR13) 
		
	
	These success rates are not available broken down by prescribed/non-prescribed course types.

Students: Age

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the age profile of  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time students was in each of the last 10 years.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Age profile of students( 1)  on Higher Education courses at UK Higher Education Institutions 
			Age group 
			  Academic year  Mode of study  Under 18 year s  18-20 years  21 - 24 years  25-29 years  30 years and over  Age unknown 
			 1996/97 Full-time 11,585 533,025 346,965 113,875 131,680 1,465 
			  Part-time 600 12,680 51,265 98,435 400,485 16,845 
			 
			 1997/98 Full-time 12,110 559,460 345,835 113,805 131,570 3,345 
			  Part-time 410 12,950 49,405 97,645 418,480 14,535 
			 
			 1998/99 Full-time 11,710 583,505 342,955 110,370 129,370 1,355 
			  Part-time 735 15,020 51,785 100,890 446,910 11,465 
			 
			 1999/2000 Full-time 11,495 597,075 340,435 105,490 123,155 1,080 
			  Part-time 755 16,620 53,190 99,350 458,085 9,635 
			 
			 2000/01 Full-time 11,210 602,390 352,455 104,370 124,340 790 
			  Part-time 675 18,620 58,555 101,515 477,495 11,170 
			 
			 2001/02 Full-time 11,920 614,305 371,790 107,155 132,335 720 
			  Part-time 1,310 19,240 63,560 100,670 493,930 10,220 
			 
			 2002/03 Full-time 12,085 631,465 397,555 114,455 140,265 780 
			  Part-time 2,220 19,425 71,085 106,225 512,985 11,635 
			 
			 2003/04 Full-time 11,550 645,985 413,445 121,190 145,860 775 
			  Part-time 2,460 20,605 78,155 112,225 546,935 9,275 
			 
			 2004/05 Full-time 11,440 657,640 421,165 127,595 148,140 545 
			  Part-time 3,320 21,775 81,405 118,970 558,870 8,280 
			 
			 2005/06 Full-time 11,515 684,065 424,045 134,240 150,085 555 
			  Part-time 2,375 23,480 80,425 120,710 538,205 6,630 
			 (1 )Includes both undergraduates and postgraduates.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record data. Figures include students from the UK and overseas, and have been rounded to the nearest 5. The figures are based on students enrolled at 1 December in each year because these are the only figures available on a comparable basis in each year since 1996.

Students: Fees and Charges

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the total cost is of student grants to students who previously qualified for education maintenance grants; and what the estimated total cost is for the same cohort under his new student support proposals.

Bill Rammell: The information on students who receive a grant that previously qualified for an educational maintenance grant is currently not available.
	From the 2008/09 academic year, a 16-year-old who qualifies for an educational maintenance allowance will be guaranteed a minimum level of support if they go on to higher education. The guarantee will support aspiration and provide certainty about the financial support available to students to fulfil their potential. The estimated cost will be around 15 million in 2010-11 in steady state.

Unemployment: Young People

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people over the age of 16 years and under the state retirement age are not in employment, education or training, or providing full-time child care for their children.

David Lammy: According to estimates from the Labour Force Survey in quarter 4, 2006 there was a total of 30,710,000 people of working age in England. Of these 5,644,000 (18.4 per cent.) were not in employment, education or training (NEET). Of those who were NEET 913,000 had said that they were either not seeking or not available or not wanting work because they were looking after their family/home and had at least one child aged under five. This leaves a total of 4,731,000 (15.4 per cent. of the working age population) who were NEET and did not say they were unavailable to work because they were looking after a child under five.

Unemployment: Young People

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of people aged 18 to 24 years had been classed as not in employment, education or training for  (a) up to three months,  (b) between three and six months,  (c) between six and nine months,  (d) between nine and 12 months and  (e) over 12 months in each quarter since 1992.

David Lammy: holding answer 9 July 2007
	The information requested is not available. However, snapshot estimates are available from the Labour Force Survey. The following table gives for England the number and proportion of 18-24 year olds classed as not in employment, education or training for years and quarters available.
	
		
			  People aged 18 to 24( 1)  years who are NEET 
			  Quarter( 2)  Number  Proportion  (Percentage) 
			 Spring 1993 1,008,000 21.4 
			 Spring 1994 901,000 19.9 
			 Spring 1995 812,000 18.6 
			 Spring 1996 750,000 17.9 
			 Spring 1997 651,000 16.1 
			 Autumn 1997 570,000 14.5 
			 Spring 1998 588,000 15.0 
			 Autumn 1998 582,000 15.0 
			 Spring 1999 543,000 13.8 
			 Autumn 1999 537,000 13.8 
			 Spring 2000 544,000 13.9 
			 Autumn 2000 545,000 13.9 
			 Q2 2001 542,000 13.7 
			 Q4 2001 558,000 14.0 
			 Q2 2002 577,000 14.5 
			 Q4 2002 544,000 13.3 
			 Q2 2003 579,000 14.3 
			 Q4 2003 553,000 13.3 
			 Q2 2004 576,000 14.0 
			 Q4 2004 612,000 14.6 
			 Q1 2005 594,000 14.2 
			 Q2 2005 617,000 14.7 
			 Q3 2005 683,000 16.1 
			 Q4 2005 678,000 16.0 
			 Q1 2006 643,000 15.3 
			 Q2 2006 685,000 16.2 
			 Q3 2006 756,000 17.7 
			 Q4 2006 661,000 15.4 
			 (1 )Academic age has been used here. This means for each quarter's data those aged 18 to 24 as at the preceding 31 August are counted. (2) The data shown are for those quarters where it is possible to derive the measure on a consistent basis. NEET measures are however, seasonal and therefore care is needed in the interpretation of changes between different quarters. Prior to 2001 spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) seasonal quarters are shown and calendar quarters thereafter(Q1 is January to March etc) as the LFS has now changed to a calendar basis, although prior to 2005 only Q2 and Q4 data is available.  Source: Labour Force Survey

Vocational Training: Foreigners

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many non-UK nationals are undertaking vocational training at UK Government expense.

Bill Rammell: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) collects data on country of domicile of learners through the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). It is not possible to provide data on learners undertaking vocational training, particularly as a number of young people follow a mixed programme involving both vocational and general subjects. For funding purposes, the LSC regards as 'ordinarily resident' any person who habitually, normally and lawfully resides in the UK or European Union or the European economic area for the three years prior to the start of their course as 'home' learners. The LSC only funds provision for home learners if they satisfy the three years residency criteria. In 2005-06 there were 44,630 non-UK nationals who were learners on publicly funded further education (FE) provision and 2,230 on work based learning (WBL) programmes. Non-UK nationals accounted for 1.3 per cent. of all LSC funded FE provision and 0.4 per cent. of all WBL learners. The data for 2006-07 are not yet available.

JUSTICE

Appeals: Social Security Benefits

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many single  (a) women and  (b) men with children had their benefits restored at appeal in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: The information is not available in the format requested. Data are not collated by gender, nor whether the appeal relates to a benefit previously awarded.
	The following tables show the total number of appeals cleared at a hearing for the last five years, and broken down by the type of hearing. The number of outcomes where it was favourable to the appellant is also given.
	
		
			  Social security and child support appealsoutcomes by hearing type 
			   Oral hearings  Paper hearings 
			  Tax year  Total cleared  Decided in favour  Percentage  Total cleared  Decided in favour  Percentage 
			 2005-06 126,840 65,770 52 46,180 10,260 22 
			 2004-05 124,400 65,290 52 43,750 9,790 22 
			 2003-04 129,830 68,670 53 48,110 10,680 22 
			 2002-03 131,700 69,610 53 46,000 10,780 23 
			 2001-02 136,680 70,620 52 47,100 10,850 23 
		
	
	
		
			   Domiciliary  All hearings 
			  Tax year  Total cleared  Decided in favour  Percentage  Total cleared  Decided in favour  Percentage 
			 2005-06 490 330 66 173,510 76,350 44 
			 2004-05 510 340 67 168,650 75,420 45 
			 2003-04 540 390 72 178,490 79,740 45 
			 2002-03 620 420 68 178,320 80,810 45 
			 2001-02 660 460 70 184,440 81,930 44 
			  Notes: 1. All figures are subject to change as more up to date data become available 2. Cases transferred onto the new appeals system G2 may not have been updated on GAPS 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 4. Totals may not sum due to rounding  Definitions: Total clearedAll appeals that went to a hearing and were cleared Decided in favourAll hearing decisions in favour of the appellant  Source: 100 per cent. download of the Generic Appeals Processing System (GAPS)

Coroners: Armed Forces

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for the coroner to conduct inquiries into British military and auxiliary medical personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan respectively.

Bridget Prentice: Coroners are funded by the relevant local authority and police authority. Until 31 March 2007 bodies from Iraq and Afghanistan were repatriated via RAF Brize Norton in the Oxfordshire coroner's jurisdiction and the Government exceptionally provided additional resources to the Oxfordshire coroner to deal with a backlog which had built up in his jurisdiction. Since 1 April 2007 bodies from Iraq and Afghanistan have been repatriated via RAF Lyneham to the jurisdiction of the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner. The coroner has transferred the majority of the inquests to coroners located more closely to the deceased's next of kin. We are keeping the handling of these inquests under review and reporting to the House quarterly on progress. The Secretary of State and I plan to meet the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner before the recess and MOJ and MOD officials will also be meeting the coroner, Wiltshire county council and Wiltshire constabulary shortly.

Coroners: Armed Forces

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to meet Mr. David Masters, the Wiltshire coroner, to discuss military inquests.

Bridget Prentice: The Secretary of State and I plan to meet Mr. Masters before the summer recess.

Coroners: Wiltshire

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what consideration he has given to increasing funding for Wiltshire coroners court to assist with military inquests.

Bridget Prentice: Since 1 April 2007 the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner has transferred the majority of the inquests which have been repatriated via RAF Lyneham in his jurisdiction to coroners closer to the deceased's next of kin. I am keeping the handling of these inquests under review and reporting to the House quarterly on progress. The Secretary of State and I plan to meet the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner before the recess. MOJ and MOD officials will also be meeting the coroner, Wiltshire county council and Wiltshire constabulary shortly.

Coroners: Wiltshire

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many military inquests were carried out by the  (a) Oxfordshire coroner and  (b) Wiltshire coroner in each year since 2003.

Bridget Prentice: The following table gives information on completed military inquests as provided by the Oxfordshire and Swindon and Wiltshire coroners' offices.
	
		
			   Oxfordshire  Swindon and Wiltshire 
			 2003 1 8 
			 2004 2 0 
			 2005 17 6 
			 2006 36 2 
			 2007 43 0

Coroners: Wiltshire

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many military inquests are pending in  (a) Oxfordshire and  (b) Wiltshire.

Bridget Prentice: As of today there are 54 military inquests pending in the Oxfordshire coroner's jurisdiction and 24 inquests pending in the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner's jurisdiction. There is no backlog in Wiltshire. The vast majority of these inquests relate to deaths in the last 12 months, with many inquests relating to deaths in the last six months.

Departments: Ministerial Red Boxes

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many ministerial red boxes the Department bought in each of the last five years; what the cost of each was; who the suppliers were; and what tendering process was used in selecting them.

Maria Eagle: Red boxes are used by successive Ministers over a number of years. The specific information requested for the last five years could be provided only at disproportionate cost as the information is not recorded centrally.
	Red boxes are ordered via the Department's stationery contract with Banner Business Supplies.

Departments: Private Finance Initiative

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total cost is of all private finance initiative projects for which his Department has responsibility completed since 1997; and what the projected cost is of such projects commissioned or under way.

Maria Eagle: The total cost of all private finance initiative projects for which my Department has responsibility that have been completed since 1997 is in excess of 8.0 billion and can be found on the list of signed PFI deals, available on HM Treasury's website at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/documents/public_private_partnerships/ppp_pfi_stats.cfm.
	The list contains by project the annual unitary charge payments, which are projections and are conditional on the performance of the private sector contractor. Unitary charge payments are not simply repayments for the capital value of the project and will frequently include inflation, provision of services and major refurbishment.
	All of the projects on the list that are overseen by the Ministry of Justice are fully operational except Avon and Somerset magistrates court, where the final site at Bristol is expected to be completed in 2007-08.

Departments: Wales

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what land in Wales is owned by his Department.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice owns the following land in Wales;
	Her Majesty's Prison Cardiff
	Her Majesty's Prison Parc
	Her Majesty's Prison Swansea
	Her Majesty's Prison Prescoed
	Cilwrgi Farm
	Cwmbran site
	Newport site, George street, Newport, NP20

Feltham Young Offender Institution and Remand Centre

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budget was for Feltham Young Offenders Institute in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The budget for Feltham Young Offenders Institute in each of the last five years is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  HMYOI Feltham Budgets 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			   Budget (Net Del) As at BV4  Adjustments  Comments 
			 2003-04 21,996,622   
			 
			 2004-05 31,268,861 11,314,937 YJB expenditure budget Feltham (added in baseline allocation) 
			   -4,112,000 Health care transfer to PCT 
			 
			 2005-06 35,665,679 1,034,166 Additional YJB allocation (added in baseline) 
			 
			 2006-07 30,850,215 -1,950,664 Reduction in YJB allocation 
			   -2,359,577 Education to LSC 
			 
			 2007-08 30,856,217 -729,213 Education to LSC 
			 Note: 1. Budgets are allocated throughout the year. 2. The figures have been compiled at July each year for consistency.

Feltham Young Offender Institution and Remand Centre

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many social workers working at Feltham Young Offenders Institute are jointly funded by the Youth Justice Board and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

David Hanson: The Youth Justice Board has been funding two social worker posts at Feltham. Following the promotion of the senior social worker to be head of safeguarding, there is currently one social worker in post and the vacancy is being advertised. The Youth Justice Board and the Department for Children, Schools and Families have agreed that funding for the financial year 2007-08 would be provided jointly.

Juries: Mentally Ill

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on people undergoing treatment for mental illness serving on juries.

Maria Eagle: The relevant legislation makes it clear that persons undergoing treatment for a mental disorder are not qualified for jury service, and Sir Robin Auld's Review of the Criminal Courts of England and Wales recommended no change to the exclusion of mentally disordered persons from jury service. However, we recognise that there are potential benefits in a change to the current arrangements, particularly of a social inclusion nature. The current eligibility criteria are in need of review, and we have indicated that we will consult on modernising them. We will make it clear in due course whether and, if so, how the law is to be changed.

Legal Aid: Mediation

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department and the Legal Services Commission have taken to meet the recommendations of the National Audit Office report Legal aid and mediation for people involved in family breakdown; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is currently awaiting the Public Accounts Committee's report on the National Audit Office's (NAO's) findings. It has however already begun to implement the NAO's recommendations:
	The LSC plans to start piloting family telephone advice through the existing CLS Direct telephone service in the autumn of 2007. This will enable clients seeking family advice to get information about mediation from trained operators.
	As a result of decisions taken in the light of the LSC's and the then Department for Constitutional Affairs' consultation Legal Aid Reform: Family and Family Mediation Fee Schemes, the decision as to whether domestic abuse is a bar to mediation will now sit with the mediator and not the solicitor.
	The new Family Fee Structure will also remove the financial disincentives for solicitors to make referrals to mediation, which has historically been an obstacle to increasing mediation referrals, a fact recognised by the mediation profession and in the NAO's report.
	The LSC will monitor the number of referrals made by individual firms to mediation. A report, due for implementation in October 2007, will extract information from LSC databases on the exemption from mediation reasons used by individual firms, and sanctions will be available if solicitors firms do not make appropriate and timely referrals.
	The LSC is currently developing a new supplier management system to replace existing systems. This will make it easier to track cases across different schemes.

Legal Aid: Reform

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he next expects to meet the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire Incorporated Law Society to discuss legal aid reforms.

Maria Eagle: My noble Friend Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, the lead Minister for legal aid reform, has had a number of meetings with legal aid practitioners and other interested parties, including the current Law Society president to discuss various aspect of the legal aid reform programme. He currently has no plans to meet the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire Incorporated Law Society.

Police Custody

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what provision has been made in his Department's budgets for the cost of  (a) police cell accommodation and  (b) court cell accommodation for prisoners in 2007-08.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service has a budget of 9 million for the use of police cells and courts cells in 2007-08. The budget is not split between police and court cells.

Police Custody

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total cost was of  (a) police cell accommodation and  (b) court cell accommodation in each financial year from 1996-97 to 2006-07.

David Hanson: I have assumed that this question refers to the use of police and court cells to hold prisoners overnight.
	In 2006-07 1,070,140 was paid for the use of police cells to hold prisoners overnight (known as Operation Safeguard). Police forces invoice in arrears and not all invoices relating to this financial year have yet been received or paid.
	Police cells were also used to hold prisoners overnight in the financial year 2002-03. A total of 10.44 million was paid in this period.
	In financial year 2006-07 NOMS has paid 235,000 (excluding VAT) to a private contractor to keep court cells available to hold prisoners overnight. Not all invoices have yet been received or paid.

Prison Service: Resignations

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison officers have resigned from the Prison Service within  (a) six months,  (b) one year and  (c) two years of starting their employment in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: Information on the number of prison officers who resigned from the Prison Service within six months, one year and two years of joining is contained in the table.
	
		
			  Prison officers( 1)  who resigned within two years by length of service 
			   Number of officers resigning  
			  Period( 2)  Within first 6 months  Between 6 months and 1 year  Between 1 and 2 years  Total 
			 2006-07 60 67 70 197 
			 2005-06 64 73 81 218 
			 2004-05 85 52 100 237 
			 2003-04 80 60 70 210 
			 6 July 2002 to March 2003(3) 41 30 25 96 
			 (1) Information relating to contracted prisons is not held centrally and would require the interrogation of various reporting systems which would incur disproportionate cost. Therefore figures relate to public sector Prison Service only. (2) Archiving of data has meant that information on the start date of officers who left prior to July 2002 is not available. (3) The period refers to when staff left the Service rather than joined.

Prisoners on Remand

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have spent  (a) over six months,  (b) over 12 months,  (c) over 18 months and  (d) over two years in prison on remand in the last five years.

David Hanson: The requested information is not available in the form requested.
	The average time spent on remand by prisoners discharged from different lengths of determinate sentence on completion of sentence or licence may be deduced from table 10.1 (for adults) and 10.2 (for young offenders) of Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2005, 2004 and 2003. This calculation includes prisoners who were not remanded in custody.
	Data for the earlier years may be found in table 4.11 Prison Statistics in England and Wales for 2002 and 2001.
	Data are not held on prisoners who following time spent on remand do not spend time in custody under sentence.
	Copies of these publications are placed in the House of Commons Library and can also be found at the Offender Management Caseload Statistics website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/omcs.html under section 10 for the years 2003 to 2005 and at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/omcsa.html for the years 2001 and 2002.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners' Release

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners released for the last 18 days of their sentence since June 2007 have been returned to prison.

David Hanson: NOMS has been notified that, out of 1,701 prisoners who were released under End of Custody Licence between 29 June and 5 July, there were 12 who, by 5 July, had been subsequently returned to prison. These figures are based on statistics published on 16 July and updates will be published monthly.
	The End of Custody Licence was introduced on 29 June 2007. Eligible prisoners serving between four weeks and less than four years may be released under licence from prison up to 18 days before their automatic release date.
	The figures are as notified to NOMS and may therefore be subject to inaccuracies. Some offenders may have been returned to custody without NOMS having been notified. In addition, the figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners' Transfers

Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many accidents involving prisoner transport vehicles have resulted in  (a) injury,  (b) serious injury and  (c) fatality to prisoners in transit in the last five years;
	(2)  how many accidents involving prisoner transport vehicles in the last five years have involved prisoner transport vehicles operated by private companies;
	(3)  how many accidents involving prisoner transit vehicles have occurred each year in the last five years.

Maria Eagle: There have been no accidents involving prisoner transport vehicles in England and Wales which resulted in a fatality to a prisoner in transit in the last five years. Information about accidents involving escort contractor vehicles that have resulted in injury is available from August 2004 and is set out in the following table. This excludes information for HM Prison Service who do not hold this information centrally and which could be provided only at disproportionate cost. A breakdown of seriousness is not readily available without further investigation.
	
		
			   Injury 
			 2004 11 
			 2005 18 
			 2006 10 
			 2007 6 
		
	
	Records of accidents involving prisoner escort contractor vehicles are available from August 2004 and are set out in the following table. The majority of accidents involve reversing and manoeuvring.
	
		
			   All types  Non-cellular 
			 2004 (August to December) 268 2 
			 2005 742 15 
			 2006 621 3 
			 2007 (January to June) 288 2

Prisoners' Transfers

Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the merits of the introduction of compulsory seat belts for prisoners in prisoner transport vehicles;
	(2)  how many prisoner transport vehicles have seat belts for prisoners.

Maria Eagle: The Government considered the merits of installing seat belts in cellular vehicles in 2003. We concluded that the risk of prisoner self inflicted deaths outweighed the benefits of seat belts being installed compulsorily.
	Cellular vehicles operated by private contractors for the National Offender Management Service are not fitted with seat belts within the cells. Seat belts are fitted for prisoners in all 32 non-cellular vehicles operated by private contractors. Seat belts are fitted for prisoners in 31 cellular vehicles operated by HM Prison Service. These vehicles are primarily used to escort category A prisoners who have a higher level of supervision.

Prisoners' Transfers

Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what average distance prisoners travelled in prisoner transport vehicles  (a) whilst on remand and  (b) post-sentence in the last 12 months.

Maria Eagle: Separate records are not available for remand and post sentenced prisoners. Contractors for the National Offender Management Service report that the average distance prisoners travelled in prisoner transport vehicles in the last 12 months was 18 miles. Information for HM Prison Service vehicles is not held centrally.

Prisoners: Children

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) male and  (b) female prisoners with dependent children are held outside their home region.

David Hanson: The Prison Service does not keep information on the number of prisoners that have dependent children. To identify such women, prison staff would need to look at each individual's record, which would in any case not be reliable given that its content depends on (sometimes partial) information provided by the prisoners themselves. However, the 2003-04 resettlement survey commissioned by the Prison Service Custody to Work Unit showed that half of all female prisoners had dependent children (including stepchildren), and that 46 per cent. of those women had lived with at least one dependent child before custody.
	Research carried out in January 2007, calculated that the average distance from home for male prisoners is 50 miles and for women prisoners 55 miles (the women's estate is much smaller and more widespread). Considerable emphasis is placed on encouraging prisoners to maintain family ties. Governors are required to consider family contact issues, educational courses and treatment programmes before moving prisoners.

Prisoners: Children

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) female and  (b) male prisoners have dependent children.

David Hanson: The Prison Service does not keep information on the number of prisoners that have dependent children.
	To identify such women, prison staff would need to look at each individual's record, which would in any case not be reliable given that its content depends on (sometimes partial) information provided by the prisoners themselves. However, the 2003-04 resettlement survey commissioned by the Prison Service Custody to Work Unit showed that half of all female prisoners had dependent children (including stepchildren), and that 46 per cent. of those women had lived with at least one dependent child before custody.

Prisoners: Children

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many children are resident in Prison Service mother and baby accommodation, broken down by age.

David Hanson: There are currently 39 children on the mother and baby units (MBUs). A breakdown in age is contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Age in months  Number of children in MBUs 
			 0-9 32 
			 10-18 5 
			 18+ 2 
		
	
	The maximum age for a child to remain with their mother in a MBU is 18 months. However, in exceptional circumstances, such as an imminent release, a mother can be granted permission to keep the child with her, if it is in the child's best interests, after he/she reaches 18 months.

Prisoners: Children

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many children were born to women in prison in each of the last 10 years.

David Hanson: The Prison Service has only routinely kept information centrally on births in custody since April 2005. Figures prior to this date are not available.
	The number of prisoners giving birth since April 2005 are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 April 2007-6 July 2007 26 
			 April 2006-March 2007 99 
			 April 2005-March 2006 106

Prisoners: Death

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many deaths occurred in prisons in each of the last 10 years, broken down by  (a) cause of death and  (b) (i) age group and (ii) sex of deceased.

Maria Eagle: Information on numbers of deaths in prisonsexcluding all current single function young offender institutions is contained in the following table and associated notes. Establishments change and combine functions from time to time. Working out the precise make-up of the male, female and YOI estates over the 10 years and matching that to the timings of deaths could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Cause of death  Age group  Gender  Number of deaths 
			  1997
			 Homicide 21-25 Male 2 
			 Natural Causes 21-25 Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 26-29 Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Male 5 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Male 10 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Male 11 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Male 17 
			 Other non-natural 30-39 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted(1) 18-20 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Male 11 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Male 14 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Male 19 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Male 7 
			 Self-inflicted 50-59 Male 2 
			 Self-inflicted 60 and over Male 2 
			 
			  1998
			 Homicide 30-39 Male 2 
			 Homicide 40-49 Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 21-25 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 21-25 Male 3 
			 Natural Causes 26-29 Male 4 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Male 3 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Male 7 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Male 11 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Male 17 
			 Other non-natural 18-20 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Male 7 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Male 9 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Male 16 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Male 32 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Male 6 
			 Self-inflicted 50-59 Male 2 
			 Self-inflicted 60 and over Male 1 
			 
			  1999
			 Natural Causes 21-25 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 21-25 Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 26-29 Male 5 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Male 9 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Female 2 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Male 8 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Male 13 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Male 18 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Male 2 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Male 13 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Male 18 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Male 32 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Male 9 
			 Self-inflicted 50-59 Male 1 
			 
			  2000
			 Homicide 21-25 Male 1 
			 Homicide 30-39 Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 26-29 Male 4 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Male 6 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Male 10 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Male 13 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Male 27 
			 Other non-natural 30-39 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Female 3 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Male 4 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Female 3 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Male 12 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Male 10 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Male 25 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Male 9 
			 Self-inflicted 50-59 Male 3 
			 Self-inflicted 60 and over Male 1 
			 
			  2001
			 Natural Causes 21-25 Male 4 
			 Natural Causes 26-29 Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Male 9 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Male 11 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Male 11 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Male 30 
			 Other non-natural 30-39 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Male 3 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Male 9 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Male 10 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Male 21 
			 Self-inflicted 4'0-49 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Male 11 
			 Self-inflicted 50-59 Male 4 
			 Self-inflicted 60 and over Male 2 
			 
			  2002
			 Natural Causes 18-20 Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 21-25 Male 3 
			 Natural Causes 26-29 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Male 6 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Male 12 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Male 18 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Male 23 
			 Other non-natural 21-25 Male 1 
			 Other non-natural 30-39 Male 1 
			 Other non-natural 40-49 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 15-17 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Male 4 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Male 15 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Male 10 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Male 28 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Male 14 
			 Self-inflicted 50-59 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 50-59 Male 7 
			 Self-inflicted 60 and over Male 1 
			 
			  2003
			 Homicide 30-39 Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 21-25 Male 3 
			 Natural Causes 26-29 Male 2 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Male 11 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Male 13 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Male 19 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Male 37 
			 Other non-natural 21-25 Male 1 
			 Other non-natural 40-49 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Female 4 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Male 2 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Female 3 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Male 14 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Female 3 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Male 10 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Male 30 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Male 15 
			 Self-inflicted 50-59 Male 5 
			 Self-inflicted 60 and over Male 1 
			 
			  2004
			 Homicide 30-39 Male 1 
			 Homicide 60 and over Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 21-25 Male 2 
			 Natural Causes 26-29 Female 1 
			 Natural causes 26-29 Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Female 2 
			 Natural causes 30-39 Male 8 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Female 2 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Male 13 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Male 28 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Female 2 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Male 43 
			 Other non-natural 21-25 Male 1 
			 Other non-natural 30-39 Male 5 
			 Other non-natural 40-49 Male 2 
			 Other non-natural 50-59 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Male 2 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Female 3 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Male 11 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Female 3 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Male 12 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Female 4 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Male 30 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Male 17 
			 Self-inflicted 50-59 Male 6 
			 Self-inflicted 60 and over Male 1 
			 
			  2005
			 Homicide 40-49 Male 2 
			 Homicide 60 and over Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 21-25 Male 2 
			 Natural Causes 26-29 Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Male 13 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Male 18 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Male 18 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Male 34 
			 Other non-natural 21-25 Male 1 
			 Other non-natural 30-39 Female 1 
			 Other non-natural 30-39 Male 1 
			 Other non-natural 40-49 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Male 11 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Male 11 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Female 2 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Male 26 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Male 10 
			 Self-inflicted 50-59 Male 4 
			 Self-inflicted 60 and over Male 2 
			 
			  2006
			 Natural Causes 26-29 Male 1 
			 Natural Causes 30-39 Male 13 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Female 2 
			 Natural Causes 40-49 Male 14 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Female 1 
			 Natural Causes 50-59 Male 16 
			 Natural Causes 60 and over Male 35 
			 Other non-natural 26-29 Male 1 
			 Other non-natural 30-39 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 Male 1 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 21-25 Male 3 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 26-29 Male 6 
			 Self-inflicted 30-39 Male 29 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Female 1 
			 Self-inflicted 40-49 Male 14 
			 Self-inflicted 50-59 Male 7 
			 Self-inflicted 60 and over Male 3 
			 * The Prison Service definition of self-inflicted deaths is broader than the legal definition of suicide and includes all deaths where it appears that a prisoner has acted specifically to take their own life. This inclusive approach is used in part because inquest verdicts are often not available for some years after a death (some 20 per cent. of these deaths will not receive a suicide or open verdict at inquest). Annual numbers may change slightly from time to time as inquest verdicts and other information become available.

Prisoners: Foreigners

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which five nationalities are most represented among the foreign prisoners being held in British gaols; and how many are held at each.

David Hanson: Figures showing (i) the foreign nationalities which were the most represented in prison establishments in England and Wales and (ii) the numbers of foreign national prisoners held in each prison establishment at the end of April 2007 is set out in the following tables:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Jamaica 1,464 
			 Nigeria 1,061 
			 Irish Republic 653 
			 Pakistan 419 
			 Vietnam 406 
		
	
	Corresponding figures for prison establishments in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Prison Service respectively.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			  Foreign national prisoners held in prison establishments in England and Wales, April 2007 
			  Prison establishment  Foreign national prisoners 
			 Total 11,231 
			   
			 Altcourse 52 
			 Askham Grange (1) 
			 Acklington (1) 
			 Albany 52 
			 Ashfield (1) 
			 Ashwell 81 
			 Aylesbury 83 
			 Belmarsh 246 
			 Buckley Hall (1) 
			 Blundeston 89 
			 Bedford 101 
			 Blantyre House (1) 
			 Brockhill (1) 
			 Bristol 54 
			 Birmingham 195 
			 Bullingdon 128 
			 Brinsford (1) 
			 Blakenhurst 136 
			 Bullwood Hall 164 
			 Brixton 242 
			 Bronzfield 160 
			 Chelmsford 123 
			 Cardiff 64 
			 Camp Hill 76 
			 Cookham Wood (1) 
			 Coldingly 88 
			 Castington (1) 
			 Channings Wood (1) 
			 Canterbury 257 
			 Dartmoor (1) 
			 Dovegate 106 
			 Drake Hall 59 
			 Durham 57 
			 Doncaster 109 
			 Dorchester (1) 
			 Deerbolt (1) 
			 Dover 345 
			 Downview 114 
			 Erlestoke 54 
			 Standford Hill (1) 
			 East Sutton Park (1) 
			 Everthorpe (1) 
			 Eastwood Park (1) 
			 Exeter (1) 
			 Elmley 173 
			 Forest Bank 88 
			 Ford (1) 
			 Foston Hall (1) 
			 Frankland (1) 
			 Feltham 181 
			 Full Sutton (1) 
			 Featherstone (1) 
			 Garth (1) 
			 Gloucester (1) 
			 Guys Marsh 69 
			 Grendon (Spring Hill) (1) 
			 Glen Parva 54 
			 Gartree (1) 
			 Hollesley Bay (Warren Hill) (1) 
			 Huntercombe 52 
			 Moorland Open (1) 
			 Hewell Grange (1) 
			 Holme House (1) 
			 Hindley (1) 
			 Hull 66 
			 Highdown 176 
			 Highpoint South 187 
			 Haslar 154 
			 Haverigg (1) 
			 Holloway 155 
			 Kirkham (1) 
			 Kirklevington (1) 
			 Lancaster (1) 
			 Leicester 76 
			 Leeds 71 
			 Lancaster Farms (1) 
			 Lowdham Grange 83 
			 Lindholme 135 
			 Lincoln (1) 
			 Long Lartin 79 
			 Latchmere House (1) 
			 Low Newton (1) 
			 Liverpool 74 
			 Littlehey 120 
			 Lewes 82 
			 Leyhill (1) 
			 Moorland (1) 
			 Morton Hall 220 
			 Manchester 187 
			 Maidstone 134 
			 Mount 300 
			 Edmunds Hill 63 
			 New Hall (1) 
			 Nottingham 57 
			 Northallerton (1) 
			 North Sea Camp (1) 
			 Norwich 87 
			 Onley 69 
			 Peterborough 124 
			 Portland 73 
			 Parkhurst 77 
			 Preston (1) 
			 Parc 52 
			 Kingston (Portsmouth) (1) 
			 Pentonville 403 
			 Rochester (1) 
			 Reading (1) 
			 Rye Hill 120 
			 Ranby 73 
			 Risley 69 
			 Send (1) 
			 Stafford (1) 
			 Stoke Heath (1) 
			 Stocken 57 
			 Swaleside 168 
			 Shepton Mallet (1) 
			 Swinfen Hall (1) 
			 Styal (1) 
			 Sudbury (1) 
			 Swansea (1) 
			 Shrewsbury (1) 
			 Thorn Cross (1) 
			 Usk (Prescoed) (1) 
			 Verne 386 
			 Wellingborough 128 
			 Winchester 74 
			 Wakefield 53 
			 Wealstun (1) 
			 Woodhill 125 
			 Warren Hill (1) 
			 Wayland 118 
			 Wymott (1) 
			 Werrington (1) 
			 Wolds (1) 
			 Whitemoor 57 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 561 
			 Whatton 70 
			 Wandsworth 426 
			 Wetherby (1) 
			 (1) Less than 50.

Prisons

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many new prison places will be opened  (a) through refurbishment,  (b) on existing prison sites and  (c) on new sites in each of the next five years.

David Hanson: NOMS undertakes a rolling programme of refurbishment on the prison estate. As schemes come back into use following refurbishment, other schemes are taken forward and the accommodation is taken out of use.
	8,000 new prison places were announced by the Home Secretary in July 2006 and a further 1,500 places by the Lord Chancellor on 19 June. The programme is still in the planning stages and the number of places to be provided beyond 2007 has not been finalised.
	The majority of these new places will be within existing prisons, but at least two new prisons will be built (Belmarsh West and Maghull) with a combined total of 1,200 places. In addition, a new 350 place prison (HMP Kennet) opened in June 2007.

Prisons: Crimes of Violence

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1843W, to the hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes), on prisons: crimes of violence, how many incidents in each category resulted in  (a) disciplinary action,  (b) police involvement,  (c) a sanction detection and  (d) a conviction.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is not held centrally. Obtaining the information would involve verifying adjudication data with each establishment, collecting data from each Police Authority and Crown Prosecution Service and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Prisons: Private Sector

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what financial penalties have been imposed on private prison contractors in respect of privately operated establishments in each of the last five financial years; what the reasons were for each penalty; and in how many cases the imposition of a penalty resulted in the withholding of the corresponding amount from the contractor concerned.

David Hanson: The level of detail that the question asked for is not held in the required format. However, I can respond on the specific point of how monies are recovered when a financial penalty is imposed. The contractor is required to provide a credit note for the relevant amount to be deducted from the monthly payment.
	I will write to the hon. Member with a more detailed response to the question before Parliament goes into recess.

Public Defenders: Liverpool

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice where the work that was being dealt with by the Public Defender Office in St. John's street, Liverpool has been transferred to.

Maria Eagle: Wherever possible the Public Defender Service completed existing clients' cases. In cases where it was not possible to complete work, the client was invited to nominate another Criminal Defence Service Provider and every assistance was given in aiding the smooth transfer of the case.

Public Defenders: Liverpool

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been made redundant as a result of the closure of the Public Defender Office in St. John's Street, Liverpool; and what their positions were.

Maria Eagle: In total 12 people were made redundant. This figure is made up of the head of office, the quality manager, a barrister, five solicitors, two accredited representatives and two administrators.

Public Defenders: Liverpool

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons the Public Defender Office in St. John's street, Liverpool has been closed; and who was consulted on the closure of that Office.

Maria Eagle: The decisions made about the Liverpool PDS office were made in the light of the independent evaluation of the PDS pilot, the needs of clients and the wider legal aid reform programme. The Legal Services Commission consulted its recognised trade unions and every individual affected by the closure.

Public Defenders: Pilot Schemes

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the assessment process is of the Public Defence Office pilots; and when a report on the pilots is expected to be made public.

Maria Eagle: The Public Defender Service pilot ended 31 March 2005. An independent evaluation of the pilot was published on 8 January 2007 and can be found on the Legal Services Commission's website and in the Library of the House.

Public Defenders: Pilot Schemes

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total annual cost is of the Public Defence Office pilots; and what the average annual cost has been of a Public Defence lawyer.

Maria Eagle: During 2006-07, the Legal Services Commission (LSC) spent 5 million on the public defender service (PDS).
	It is not possible to provide an average cost of a public defender lawyer as it would require a manual search of employees 'actual' salaries and would therefore incur disproportionate cost.

Sexual Offences: Rehabilitation

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to develop residential treatment facilities for sex offenders.

David Hanson: The Review of the Protection of Children from Sex Offenders, the report of which was published on 13 June, made a number of recommendations designed to make the treatment of sex offenders more effective. One recommendation includes a commitment to explore intensive treatment options for those sex offenders who present the highest risk of serious harm. We will examine whether it would be appropriate to deliver such intensive treatment in a residential setting.

Young Offender Institutions: Death

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many deaths occurred in young offender institutions in each of the last 10 years, broken down by  (a) cause of death and  (b) (i) age group and (ii) sex of deceased.

Maria Eagle: Information in respect of deaths in current young offender institutions(1)which are exclusively maleis contained in the following table and associated notes. Establishments change and combine functions from time to time. Working out the precise make-up of the YOI estate over the 10 years and matching that to the timings of deaths could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Year/ Cause of death  Age group  Number of deaths 
			  1997   
			 Natural causes 21 1 
			 Self-inflicted(2) 15-17 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 5 
			 Self-inflicted 21 3 
			
			  1998   
			 Homicide 15-17 1 
			 Self-inflicted 15-17 2 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 3 
			 Self-inflicted 21 2 
			
			  1999   
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 9 
			 Self-inflicted 21 2 
			
			  2000   
			 Homicide 18-20 1 
			 Self-inflicted 15-17 3 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 3 
			 Self-inflicted 21 3 
			
			  2001   
			 Self-inflicted 15-17 3 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 3 
			 Self-inflicted 21 1 
			
			  2002   
			 Self-inflicted 15-17 1 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 4 
			 Self-inflicted 21 1 
			
			  2003   
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 1 
			 Self-inflicted 21 2 
			
			  2004   
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 3 
			
			  2005   
			 Other non-natural 18-20 1 
			 Self-inflicted 15-17 2 
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 7 
			
			  2006   
			 Self-inflicted 18-20 1 
			 (1) The single-function young offender institutions referred to are: Aylesbury; Ashfield; Brinsford; Castington; Deerbolt; Feltham; Glen Parva; Hindley; Huntercombe; Lancaster Farms; Moorland Open (Hatfield); Northallerton; Portland; Reading; Rochester; Stoke Heath; Swinfen Hall; Thorn Cross; Warren Hill; Werrington and Wetherby. (2) The Prison Service definition of self-inflicted deaths is broader than the legal definition of suicide and includes all deaths where it appears that a prisoner has acted specifically to take their own life. This inclusive approach is used in part because inquest verdicts are often not available for some years after a death (some 20 per cent. of these deaths will not receive a suicide or open verdict at inquest). Annual numbers may change slightly from time to time as inquest verdicts and other information become available.

Young Offenders: Custodial Treatment

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of under 18s in custody received their custodial sentence as a result of  (a) possessing or supplying drugs of class A, B or C and  (b) offences in which drugs were involved.

David Hanson: As at the end of May 2007 there were 74 under 18-year-olds serving sentences for drug offences in prison establishments in England and Wales; 4 per cent. of the total 1,895 under 18s serving immediate custodial sentences. It is not possible to show the number serving sentences for specific types of drug offences as the data are not robust at this level.
	Information on the total number of prisoners whose offences involved drugs either as a motivating factor, or were committed under the influence of drugs, or where another offence was listed as the primary offence, is not available.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Young Offenders: Custodial Treatment

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many under 18-year-olds were in custody  (a) following conviction and  (b) before conviction on 1 October of each year since 1997.

David Hanson: Figures for all prisoners aged under 18 in all prison establishments in England and Wales 1997 to 2006 can be found in the following table.
	
		
			   Following conviction( 1)  Before conviction( 2) 
			 1997 2,011 468 
			 1998 2,024 442 
			 1999 1,989 433 
			 2000 2,125 338 
			 2001 2,070 302 
			 2002 2,309 324 
			 2003 1,934 335 
			 2004 1,969 322 
			 2005 2,083 408 
			 2006 2,124 387 
			 (1) Includes convicted unsentenced remand and sentenced prisoners. (2) Untried remand prisoners.  Notes: 1. 1997 to 1999 figures are as at 30 June. 2. 2000 to 2006 are as at 30 September. 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Young Offenders: Custodial Treatment

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many places there are for under 18-year-olds in the prison estate; and how many such places are filled.

David Hanson: The under-18 secure custodial estate comprises young offender institutions (mostly run by the Prison Service), secure training centres (privately run) and secure children's homes (all but one of which are run by local authorities).
	The following table, based on information supplied by the Youth Justice Board, shows the number of places currently commissioned by the Board, and occupancy as at 17 July 2007, in each sector. It also shows how many of the commissioned places are not currently available for use: for example, because they have been damaged or are being refurbished.
	
		
			  Places commissioned, available and occupied in the secure estate for children and young people, 17 July 2007 
			   Young offender institutions  Secure training centres  Secure children's homes 
			 Places commissioned 2,979 235 277 
			 Places declared unavailable 72 0 0 
			 Places available 2,907 235 277 
			 Occupancy (1)2,791 228 261 
			 (1 )Includes 356 over-18 year olds

Young Offenders: Custodial Treatment

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average number of hours spent by young offender is per day in each young offenders institution  (a) in cells,  (b) undergoing education and  (c) playing team sport.

David Hanson: The average number of hours per weekday prisoners in each young offender institution spent in their cells in 2006-07 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Average hours per weekday spent  in cells by prisoners in each young o ffender  i nstitution in 2006-07 
			  Young offenders institution  Average t ime in cell per weekday in 2006-07 
			 Aylesbury 15.9 
			 Brinsford 15.7 
			 Castington 15.1 
			 Deerbolt 17.1 
			 Feltham 14.2 
			 Glen Parva 13.8 
			 Hindley 14.0 
			 Lancaster Farms 13.8 
			 Northallerton 14.9 
			 Portland 15.4 
			 Reading 17.1 
			 Rochester 15.7 
			 Stoke Heath 14.5 
			 Swinfen Hall 13.6 
			 Thorn Cross 11.5 
		
	
	The prison service collects information on the time spent by prisoners on Education and this is shown in the following table. Data are not collected specifically for team sport but this activity is covered within physical education and recreational sporting activities. The table shows the average number of weekly hours that young offenders spent on education, physical education and recreational sporting activity per week in 2006-07. These data are not collected on a daily basis and cannot therefore be expressed in the precise format requested.
	
		
			  Average hours spent on education, physical education and recreational sporting activity per week in each young offender institution in 2006-07 
			  Establishment  Physical education  Recreational sporting activity  Other educational activity 
			 Aylesbury 3.4 0.3 5.5 
			 Brinsford 2.9 0.0 8.6 
			 Castington 3.1 0.3 9.1 
			 Deerbolt 3.5 0.0 7.6 
			 Feltham 6.2 0.2 10.5 
			 Glen Parva 2.6 0.0 5.9 
			 Hindley 3.1 0.0 17.3 
			 Lancaster farms 2.9 0.0 9.9 
			 Northallerton 3.3 0.0 6.2 
			 Portland 2.6 0.0 6.5 
			 Reading 0.1 3.1 4.2 
			 Rochester 1.9 0.0 3.0 
			 Stoke Heath 2.9 1.6 5.6 
			 Swinfen Hall 3.3 0.3 8.0 
			 Thorn Cross 7.1 0.3 13.2

Young Offenders: Sentencing

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2007, question number 148495, if he will break down the figures provided by category of crime for which the offenders were given  (a) custodial and  (b) non-custodial sentences.

David Hanson: The information requested, for the years 1995 to 2005, is contained in the tables.
	
		
			  Number of persons( 1)  under the age of 21 sentenced to custodial and non-custodial( 2)  sentences at all courts, by offence group :  England and Wales 
			  Number of persons 
			   Type of sentence  Violence against the person  Sexual offences  Burglary  Robbery  Theft and handling stolen goods  Fraud and forgery  Criminal damage 
			 1995 Immediate custody 2,002 195 5,082 1,552 4,026 181 285 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 7,413 518 12,446 1,529 35,066 2,387 3,375 
			  Total 9,415 713 17,528 3,081 39,092 2,568 3,660 
			  
			 1996 Immediate custody 2,410 184 5,153 2,177 4,125 222 332 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 7,909 471 11,010 1,563 34,618 2,424 3,535 
			  Total 10,319 655 16,163 3,740 38,743 2,646 3,867 
			  
			 1997 Immediate custody 2,725 199 5,282 2,140 4,673 263 314 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 8,950 515 10,440 1,470 34,936 2,701 3,739 
			  Total 11,675 714 15,722 3,610 39,609 2,964 4,053 
			  
			 1998 Immediate custody 2,948 217 5,301 2,073 5,074 331 324 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 9,431 543 10,027 1,399 38,417 3,101 3,775 
			  Total 12,379 760 15,328 3,472 43,491 3,432 4,099 
			  
			 1999 Immediate custody 3,059 235 5,223 1,970 5,466 389 368 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 9,298 528 9,054 1,305 40,017 3,534 4,087 
			  Total 12,357 763 14,277 3,275 45,483 3,923 4,455 
			  
			 2000 Immediate custody 3,278 201 4,652 2,121 5,678 341 395 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 9,539 517 7,958 1,383 37,218 3,277 3,883 
			  Total 12,817 718 12,610 3,504 42,896 3,618 4,278 
			  
			 2001 Immediate custody 3,266 228 3,976 2,393 5,353 416 363 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 9,980 551 7,120 1,836 35,340 3,173 4,244 
			  Total 13,246 779 11,096 4,229 40,693 3,589 4,607 
			  
			 2002 Immediate custody 3,237 220 3,794 2,721 4,860 337 364 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 10,299 621 7,263 1,562 31,514 2,918 4,220 
			  Total 13,536 841 11,057 4,283 36,374 3,255 4,584 
			  
			 2003 Immediate custody 2,990 206 2,877 2,139 3,794 343 320 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 10,108 515 6,971 1,816 28,067 2,584 4,363 
			  Total 13,098 721 9,848 3,955 31,861 2,927 4,683 
			  
			 2004 Immediate custody 3,168 192 2,679 2,324 3,249 304 318 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 10,482 688 7,066 2,099 27,202 2,404 4,687 
			  Total 13,650 880 9,745 4,423 30,451 2,708 5,005 
			  
			 2005 Immediate custody 3,463 272 2,478 2,170 2,848 343 348 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 10,979 635 7,203 2,306 26,729 2,099 4,780 
			  Total 14,442 907 9,681 4,476 29,577 2,442 5,128 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of persons 
			   Type of sentence  Drug offences  Other indictable offences  Indictable motoring offences  Summary offences  (excluding motoring)  Summary motoring offences  Total 
			 1995 Immediate custody 509 1,353 382 1,787 1,849 19,203 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 6,034 9,424 1,453 49,207 67,228 196,080 
			  Total 6,543 10,777 1,835 50,994 69,077 215,283 
			 
			 1996 Immediate custody 750 1,585 382 2,020 1,907 21,247 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 6,166 9,782 1,306 56,580 70,284 205,648 
			  Total 6,916 11,367 1,688 58,600 72,191 226,895 
			 
			 1997 Immediate custody 840 1,671 369 2,309 2,083 22,868 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 7,450 10,716 1,282 59,590 70,894 212,683 
			  Total 8,290 12,387 1,651 61,899 72,977 235,551 
			 
			 1998 Immediate custody 934 1,827 346 2,564 2,281 24,220 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 9,924 11,025 1,253 67,758 72,543 229,196 
			  Total 10,858 12,852 1,599 70,322 74,824 253,416 
			 
			 1999 Immediate custody 1,085 1,700 402 2,996 2,771 25,664 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 10,431 11,042 1,244 67,458 71,910 229,908 
			  Total 11,516 12,742 1,646 70,454 74,681 255,572 
			 
			 2000 Immediate custody 1,085 1,919 503 2,725 2,957 25,855 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 10,746 10,656 1,225 69,402 71,911 227,715 
			  Total 11,831 12,575 1,728 72,127 74,868 253,570 
			 
			 2001 Immediate custody 1,155 1,861 631 2,557 3,345 25,544 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 11,404 10,355 1,260 70,422 72,163 227,848 
			  Total 12,559 12,216 1,891 72,979 75,508 253,392 
			 
			 2002 Immediate custody 1,017 1,925 647 2,555 3,102 24,779 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 12,575 10,631 1,448 71,709 74,393 229,153 
			  Total 13,592 12,556 2,095 74,264 77,495 253,932 
			 
			 2003 Immediate custody 1,043 1,743 701 2,294 3,188 21,638 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 12,802 10,677 1,496 74,065 79,496 232,960 
			  Total 13,845 12,420 2,197 76,359 82,684 254,598 
			 
			 2004 Immediate custody 1,013 1,984 666 2,626 2,438 20,961 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 9,146 11,188 1,393 76,626 78,645 231,626 
			  Total 10,159 13,172 2,059 79,252 81,083 252,587 
			 
			 2005 Immediate custody 1,014 1,997 572 2,828 1,913 20,246 
			  Non-custodial sentence(2) 9,057 10,638 1,154 76,904 69,524 222,008 
			  Total 10,071 12,635 1,726 79,732 71,437 242,254 
			 (1) Principal offence basis (2) Absolute and conditional discharge, fine, community sentence, suspended sentence order (from April 2005) and otherwise dealt with. These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice

HEALTH

Abortion: Young People

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many children under 18 years have had an abortion in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many children under 18 years have had a second abortion in each of the last 10 years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Abortions to women age under 18  Second abortions to women age under 18( 1) 
			 1997 16,092 939 
			 1998 17,186 1,025 
			 1999 16,561 1,018 
			 2000 17,082 1,119 
			 2001 17,273 1,175 
			 2002 17,449 1,152 
			 2003 18,122 1,243 
			 2004 17,892 1,208 
			 2005 18,023 1,316 
			 2006 18,691 1,341 
			 (1) Number of abortions to women age under 18 who have had an abortion in the year shown and who have also had one previous abortion.

Abortion: Young People

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many girls under the age of 18 years had abortions in each of the last three years, broken down by age.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Total abortions to women age under 18, resident of England and Wales, 2004-06 
			   Age 
			   Under 14( 1)  14  15  16  17  Total under 18 
			 2004 157 877 2,722 5,734 8,402 17,892 
			 2005 137 946 2,703 5,733 8,504 18,023 
			 2006 135 907 2,948 5,859 8,770 18,619 
			 (1) Totals for individual ages within the age group 'under 14' are suppressed for reasons of confidentiality in line with the Office for National Statistics' guidance on the disclosure of abortion statistics (2005).  Note: Totals refer to the number of abortions in each year not number of women, i.e. women may have more than one abortion within a calendar year.

Alcoholic Drinks: Health Education

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many alcohol awareness programmes have been set up in  (a) 2007 and  (b) the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: In October 2006 the Government launched the Know Your Limits campaign, the first in the past five years, aimed at binge drinkers.
	'Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy' committed the Government to campaign to end the tolerance of drunkenness and raise awareness of the sensible drinking message, specifically how to use units to calculate alcoholic intake. Although neither campaign is due to be launched until 2008, work is currently underway to facilitate this.

Alcoholic Drinks: Health Education

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to highlight the dangers of drinking alcohol to adults, particularly amongst the over 60s.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government's Renewed Alcohol Strategy, 'Safe, Sensible, SocialNext Steps in the National Alcohol Strategy' aims to focus future action on reducing the types of harm that are of most concern to the public, by creating an environment that actively promotes sensible drinking and increasing the public's awareness of the risks associated with excessive consumption and how to get help.
	The Government are aware that many adults of all ages do not realise their drinking patterns may be damaging their physical and mental health and may be causing substantial harm to others. A ground-breaking agreement between Government and the alcohol industry to place health information on alcohol product labels will help people to monitor their alcohol intake more easily. This will be supported by a sustained national communications campaign that will raise the public's knowledge of units of alcohol and ensure that everyone has the information they need to estimate how much they really do drink.

Alcoholic Drinks: Health Education

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what strategy the Government are taking to inform females, especially younger women, about the risks of binge drinking.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government's renewed alcohol strategy, 'Safe. Sensible. Social'. The next steps in the 'National Alcohol Strategy', emphasises the need to challenge the binge drinking culture. Sustained national campaigning will challenge public tolerance of drunkenness and drinking that causes harm to health.
	From 2008, national campaigning will raise the public's knowledge of units of alcohol, to ensure that everyone, women and men, has the information they need to assess how much they drink in relation to advice on sensible drinking.
	The Government are concerned that young people aged 16-24 years are significantly more likely than people in other age groups to have consumed more than twice the recommended sensible drinking limit.
	The Know Your Limits campaign, launched by the Government in October 2006, provides a range of advice to women on how to remain safe if they find themselves in vulnerable situations as a result of having consumed too much alcohol. In addition, the Government have recently issued revised advice informing women of the risks posed by excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy and for women hoping to conceive.

Alcoholic Drinks: Health Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to set health-related alcohol targets.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department is developing a new outcomes framework for local accountability and decision-making on health and social care. Key stakeholders' views are currently being sought on the framework. Final decisions on it will be made as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change there has been in the recorded number of  (a) incidents of binge drinking leading to accident and emergency admissions and  (b) alcohol related illnesses since the publication of the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy report in 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data cannot determine when an admitted patient has been involved in an incident of binge drinking, and the vast majority of incidents of binge drinking do not result in an admission to hospital. While HES data can be used to determine the number of episodes where the patient had an alcohol related illness, many patients may not be admitted to hospital and would instead be treated in other settings such as primary care or outpatients. Neither can HES supply data that could be used to accurately assess the change in the number of alcohol related illnesses since 2004. While it is likely that alcohol-related attendances at accident and emergency (AE) departments will be higher than those for alcohol-related admissions to hospital, these data are not recorded.
	The following table provides a count of finished admission episodes (FAE), for which data are available, with an alcohol-related primary diagnosis where the patient was admitted via AE.
	
		
			  Count of FAE with an alcohol-related primary diagnosis admitted via AE for 2004-05 and 2005-06: National health service hospitals, England 
			   Admissions 
			 2004-05 34,360 
			 2005-06 39,641 
			  Notes: Alcohol-related diagnoses defined by ICD-10 codes: F10 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol; K70 Alcoholic liver disease; and T51 Toxic effect of alcohol. Admission methods 71: Emergencyvia AE services, including the casualty department of the provider' and '28: Emergencyother means, including patients who arrive via the AE department of another health care provider'  Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  Diagnosis (primary diagnosis) The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (7 prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the HES data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.  Data quality Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. Whilst this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Ungrossed data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  Source: HES, The Information Centre for health and social care

Alcoholic Drinks: Taxation

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will discuss with the Chancellor of the Exchequer reviewing existing alcohol control policies to include the introduction of increased taxation on alcohol products and the implementation of policies limiting the availability of alcohol; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Taxation, including alcohol excise duty, is a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with( )decisions on the appropriate levels of tax being taken each year at the time of the Budget.
	As described in Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy,( )significant progress has been made in delivering actions under the 2004 strategy. The( )Government's renewed strategy sets out a co-ordinated approach to change our drinking( )culture, which recognises the responsibilities of industry as well as Government and other( )partners.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many teenagers  (a) are undertaking and  (b) have undertaken regular medical treatment as a result of alcohol abuse in (i) 2007 and (ii) each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not held centrally.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) male and  (b) female teenagers were admitted to accident and emergency departments on grounds related to drunkenness in each month of (i) 2007 and (ii) the last five years, broken down by NHS trust; and what treatments they required, broken down by category.

Dawn Primarolo: We do not collect data relating to alcohol-related attendances at accident and emergency departments.
	Tables have been placed in the Library which supply data for teenagers admitted to hospital via accident and emergency with a primary diagnosis of T51 toxic effect of alcohol (i.e. more severe than general drunkenness and loss of inhibitions) for the last five years, broken down by gender and health care provider. The information provided in the tables does not include instances of the toxic effects of alcohol as secondary diagnosis.

British Fluoridation Society: Finance

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the withdrawal of funding for the British Fluoridation Society upon his Department's goal to reduce oral health inequalities.

Ann Keen: The British Fluoridation Society (BFS) advises strategic health authorities (SHAs) and primary care trusts on the potential that the fluoridation of water offers for reducing inequalities in oral health in accordance with our policy that decisions on fluoridation schemes should be taken by SHAs, following local consultations. I understand that the BFS has identified a source of funding which should enable it to continue its core activities in 2007-08.

Care Homes: Fees and Charges

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting time is for a reassessment of registered nursing care contribution banding awarded to an individual patient in each primary care trust; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected by the Department.

Carers: Protective Clothing

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department funds the provision of aprons and gloves for carers.

Ivan Lewis: No. It is for care providers, such as domiciliary care agencies and care home operators, to ensure that care staff are equipped with suitable protective clothing and that regulations governing hygiene and health and safety are complied with.
	Providers will budget for the cost of protective clothing when negotiating prices for their services with commissioners, such as local authorities.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: West Midlands

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the closure of the Birmingham/West Midlands Clinical Network Co-ordinating Centre for myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Dawn Primarolo: The local national health service determines the configuration of local services and organisations, including those organisations that provide services to patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalagic encephalomyelitis.

Clinical Psychologists: Training

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trainee clinical psychologists were offered a job in the NHS in 2007.

Ben Bradshaw: This information is not collected centrally.

Dental Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many units of  (a) dental and  (b) orthodontic activity were unused in the last period for which figures were available, broken down by NHS trust.

Ann Keen: Information is not available in the form requested. Information is available on the level of general dental care commissioned by primary care trusts (PCTs) and on the services provided. However, the two data returns cannot be directly compared.
	The first data set shows (for a given month) the prospective annual level of services that have been commissioned as at that point. However, the annual services commissioned at a given point in time will not necessarily remain a reliable guide to the services due to be provided over the following 12 months, because levels of commissioning can change from month to month. For instance, the volume of services commissioned as at March 2007 is higher than the volume of services commissioned as at April 2006.
	The second data set shows courses of treatment (and the corresponding units of dental activity) reported by dentists and processed by the NHS Business Services Authority up to the end of March 2007. This does not, however, represent the full-year data for 2006-07 because further courses of treatment carried out in 2006-07 were reported and processed during the first quarter of 2007-08. The full-year data are likely to be published in August.
	The following tables contain information by PCT on dental services commissioned as at 31 March 2007, expressed as numbers of units of dental activity is provided in the following tables. Units of dental activity are a weighted measure of the annual courses of treatment provided for NHS patients. This information does not include orthodontics or other specialist services. This information is also available at:
	www.performance.doh.gov.uk/dental_contracts/index.htm
	Information on courses of treatment (and the corresponding units of dental activity) reported and processed up to the end of March 2007 is contained in a report published by the Information Centre for health and social care: NHS Dental Statistics for England: Quarter 4:31 March 2007 which is available in the Library.
	
		
			  Dental contracts, primary care trusts in England, as at 31 March 2007 
			 UDAs commissioned  UDAs recommissioned 
			 And provided  But not yet provided  Total  And provided  But not yet provided  Total 
			  SHA code  PCT code  PCT name  b2  b1  b1+b2  a2  a1  a1+a2 
			   England 77,125,114 1,286,803 78,411,917 2,533,414 302,651 2,836,065 
			  
			 Q31 5HG Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 517,502 1,960 519,462 26,190 1,960 28,150 
			 Q36 5C2 Barking and Dagenham PCT 256,158  256,158
			 Q36 5A9 Barnet PCT 365,687  365,687 6,368  6,368 
			 Q32 5JE Barnsley PCT 416,216  416,216 16,527  16,527 
			 Q33 5ET Bassetlaw PCT 158,439  158,439 4,898  4,898 
			 Q39 5FL Bath and North East Somerset PCT 228,264  228,264
			 Q35 5P2 Bedfordshire PCT 516,153 1,003 517,156 6,498 1,003 7,501 
			 Q38 5QG Berkshire East PCT 423,524  423,524 12,144  12,144 
			 Q38 5QF Berkshire West PCT 477,079 3,500 480,579 42,520 3,500 46,020 
			 Q36 TAK Bexley Care Trust 296,238  296,238
			 Q34 5PG Birmingham East and North PCT 692,059  692,059
			 Q31 5CC Blackburn and Darwen Teaching PCT 233,036  233,036 15,250  15,250 
			 Q31 5HP Blackpool PCT 214,079 9,192 223,271 16,411 9,192 25,603 
			 Q31 5HQ Bolton PCT 404,521  404,521 2,800  2,800 
			 Q39 5QN Bournemouth and Poole PCT 633,533  633,533 36,306  36,306 
			 Q32 5NY Bradford and Airedale PCT 770,303  770,303 8,065  8,065 
			 Q36 5K5 Brent Teaching PCT 487,783  487,783 664  664 
			 Q37 5LQ Brighton and Hove City PCT 445,815  445,815 17,337  17,337 
			 Q39 5QJ Bristol PCT 715,857  715,857
			 Q36 5A7 Bromley PCT 320,000  320,000 18,338  18,338 
			 Q38 5QD Buckinghamshire PCT 537,541 12,335 549,876 20,478 9,725 30,203 
			 Q31 5JX Bury PCT 335,000  335,000 1,323  1,323 
			 Q32 5J6 Calderdale PCT 361,903 3,417 365,320
			 Q35 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 782,884  782,884 34,940  34,940 
			 Q36 5K7 Camden PCT 294,234  294,234 18,344  18,344 
			 Q31 5NP Central and Eastern PCT 791,829  791,829 17,672  17,672 
			 Q31 5NG Central Lancashire PCT 760,739 9,673 770,412 8,780 9,430 18,210 
			 Q36 5C3 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 253,569  253,569 2,188  2,188 
			 Q39 5QP Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 772,689  772,689 30,122  30,122 
			 Q30 5ND County Durham PCT 792,176  792,176 23,963  23,963 
			 Q34 5MD Coventry Teaching PCT 529,190  529,190 28,596  28,596 
			 Q36 5K9 Croydon PCT 497,480  497,480 3,683  3,683 
			 Q31 5NE Cumbria PCT 751,923 22,500 774,423 23,350 7,000 30,350 
			 Q30 5J9 Darlington PCT 199,208 45,919 245,127
			 Q33 5N7 Derby City PCT 377,592  377,592
			 Q33 5N6 Derbyshire County PCT 1,021,360  1,021,360 21,922  21,922 
			 Q39 5QQ Devon PCT 1,035,384 20,138 1,055,522 26,748 18,255 45,003 
			 Q32 5N5 Doncaster PCT 565,378  565,378
			 Q39 5QM Dorset PCT 527,471 35,152 562,623 55,151 17,500 72,651 
			 Q34 5PE Dudley PCT 563,052  563,052 45,773  45,773 
			 Q36 5HX Ealing PCT 481,597  481,597 11,713  11,713 
			 Q35 5P3 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 868,979 3,279 872,258 12,249  12,249 
			 Q31 5NH East Lancashire PCT 495,504  495,504 1,405  1,405 
			 Q32 5NW East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 321,414 26,133 347,547
			 Q37 5P7 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 496,346  496,346 4,560  4,560 
			 Q37 5QA Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 929,990 33,664 963,654 39,187 6,232 45,419 
			 Q36 5C1 Enfield PCT 422,274  422,274 1,346  1,346 
			 Q30 5KF Gateshead PCT 344,848  344,848 21,626  21,626 
			 Q39 5QH Gloucestershire PCT 499,113  499,113
			 Q35 5PR Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 470,955  470,955 3,384  3,384 
			 Q36 5A8 Greenwich Teaching PCT 378,400  378,400 6,050  6,050 
			 Q31 5NM Halton and St. Helens PCT 542,462 11,000 553,462 21,000 11,000 32,000 
			 Q36 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 278,981  278,981 2,706  2,706 
			 Q38 5QC Hampshire PCT 1,341,644 85,850 1,427,494 71,038 25,330 96,368 
			 Q36 5C9 Haringey Teaching PCT 464,340  464,340 468  468 
			 Q36 5K6 Harrow PCT 328,544  328,544 2,630  2,630 
			 Q30 5D9 Hartlepool PCT 199,357  199,357
			 Q37 5P8 Hastings and Rother PCT 309,082  309,082
			 Q36 5A4 Havering PCT 340,478  340,478 4,666  4,666 
			 Q34 5MX Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 521,876 5,446 527,322 7,531 5,446 12,977 
			 Q34 5CN Herefordshire PCT 246,627  246,627 11,244  11,244 
			 Q31 5NQ Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 300,791 4,232 305,023 26,773  26,773 
			 Q36 5AT Hillingdon PCT 350,223  350,223 1,022  1,022 
			 Q36 5HY Hounslow PCT 349,428  349,428 2,213  2,213 
			 Q32 5NX Hull PCT 511,229 29,324 540,553 21,872  21,872 
			 Q38 5QT Isle of Wight NHS PCT 200,095  200,095
			 Q36 5K8 Islington PCT 269,280  269,280 3,878  3,878 
			 Q36 5LA Kensington and Chelsea PCT 129,067 3,435 132,502 6,956 1,200 8,156 
			 Q36 5A5 Kingston PCT 167,972  167,972 35,433  35,433 
			 Q32 5N2 Kirklees PCT 745,415  745,415 11,000  11,000 
			 Q31 5J4 Knowsley PCT 266,235  266,235 4,869  4,869 
			 Q36 5LD Lambeth PCT 410,417  410,417
			 Q32 5N1 Leeds PCT 1,168,549 6,386 1,174,935 76,741 6,386 83,127 
			 Q33 5PC Leicester City PCT 528,727  528,727 13,796  13,796 
			 Q33 5PA Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 1,010,815  1,010,815 108,020  108,020 
			 Q36 5LF Lewisham PCT 470,785  470,785
			 Q33 5N9 Lincolnshire PCT 1,035,763 31,359 1,067,122 42,053 31,359 73,412 
			 Q31 5NL Liverpool PCT 853,766  853,766
			 Q35 5GC Luton Teaching PCT 274,268  274,268
			 Q31 5NT Manchester PCT 872,174  872,174 36,416  36,416 
			 Q37 5L3 Medway Teaching PCT 415,818 8,750 424,568 5,176  5,176 
			 Q35 5PX Mid Essex PCT 606,245 3,373 609,618 26,015  26,015 
			 Q30 5KM Middlesbrough County PCT 250,379 40,666 291,045 18,590 22,076 40,666 
			 Q38 5CQ Milton Keynes PCT 303,415  303,415 19,982  19,982 
			 Q30 5D7 Newcastle PCT 522,532  522,532 8,939  8,939 
			 Q36 5C5 Newham PCT 285,239 7,242 292,481
			 Q35 5PQ Norfolk PCT 1,267,726 13,757 1,281,483 79,226  79,226 
			 Q35 5PW North East Essex PCT 499,927  499,927 13,267  13,267 
			 Q32 5AN North East Lincolnshire PCT 213,337 7,160 220,497
			 Q31 5NF North Lancashire PCT 492,947 85,097 578,044 26,437  26,437 
			 Q32 5EF North Lincolnshire PCT 185,926 4,617 190,543
			 Q39 5M8 North Somerset PCT 360,416  360,416
			 Q34 5PH North Staffordshire PCT 342,812  342,812 14,000  14,000 
			 Q30 5E1 North Tees PCT 290,868  290,868
			 Q30 5D8 North Tyneside PCT 364,220  364,220 30,682  30,682 
			 Q32 5NV North Yorkshire and York PCT 1,150,039 24,882 1,174,921 67,516  67,516 
			 Q33 5PD Northamptonshire PCT 938,388  938,388 96,858  96,858 
			 Q30 TAC Northumberland Care Trust 561,829 19,302 581,131 29,639  29,639 
			 Q33 5EM Nottingham City PCT 635,786  635,786 22,277  22,277 
			 Q33 5N8 Nottinghamshire County PCT 832,801 382,738 1,215,539 2,122  2,122 
			 Q31 5J5 Oldham PCT 391,675  391,675 20,087  20,087 
			 Q38 5QE Oxfordshire PCT 707,458  707,458 25,929  25,929 
			 Q35 5PN Peterborough PCT 295,380 35,735 331,115 12,967 840 13,807 
			 Q39 5F1 Plymouth Teaching PCT 359,125  359,125
			 Q38 5FE Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 327,743  327,743 26,762  26,762 
			 Q36 5NA Redbridge PCT 403,887  403,887
			 Q30 5QR Redcar and Cleveland PCT 274,026  274,026
			 Q36 5M6 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 121,359  121,359 25,214  25,214 
			 Q32 5H8 Rotherham PCT 386,393  386,393 11,997  11,997 
			 Q31 5F5 Salford Teaching PCT 408,736  408,736 11,200  11,200 
			 Q34 5PF Sandwell PCT 646,751  646,751
			 Q31 5NJ Sefton PCT 484,660  484,660
			 Q32 5N4 Sheffield PCT 865,029  865,029 3,141  3,141 
			 Q34 5M2 Shropshire County PCT 422,647  422,647 13,100  13,100 
			 Q34 TAM Solihull Care Trust 268,247  268,247 11,858  11,858 
			 Q39 5QL Somerset PCT 932,179  932,179 26,612  26,612 
			 Q34 5M1 South Birmingham PCT 652,256 7,875 660,131 28,700 7,875 36,575 
			 Q35 5P1 South East Essex PCT 484,701  484,701 4,355  4,355 
			 Q39 5A3 South Gloucestershire PCT 444,708  444,708
			 Q34 5PK South Staffordshire PCT 872,800 50,899 923,699 68,221  68,221 
			 Q30 5KG South Tyneside PCT 365,208  365,208
			 Q35 5PY South West Essex PCT 582,463  582,463 23,774  23,774 
			 Q38 5L1 Southampton City PCT 336,349 15,000 351,349 24,842 15,000 39,842 
			 Q36 5LE Southwark PCT 388,116  388,116
			 Q31 5F7 Stockport PCT 517,299 750 518,049 45,230  45,230 
			 Q34 5PJ Stoke on Trent PCT 403,535  403,535
			 Q35 5PT Suffolk PCT 847,800 8,754 856,554 14,688  14,688 
			 Q30 5KL Sunderland Teaching PCT 549,042  549,042 1,386  1,386 
			 Q37 5P5 Surrey PCT 1,128,437 24,000 1,152,437 75,869 24,000 99,869 
			 Q36 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT 474,799  474,799
			 Q39 5K3 Swindon PCT 224,736  224,736 50,000  50,000 
			 Q31 5LH Tameside and Glossop PCT 445,748  445,748 31,665  31,665 
			 Q34 5MK Telford and Wrekin PCT 291,720  291,720
			 Q39 TAL Torbay Care Trust 209,164  209,164 13,664  13,664 
			 Q36 5C4 Tower Hamlets PCT 269,022  269,022 9,350  9,350 
			 Q31 5NR Trafford PCT 328,686 4,876 333,562 15,650 4,876 20,526 
			 Q32 5N3 Wakefield District PCT 584,148 4,000 588,148
			 Q34 5M3 Walsall Teaching PCT 374,368  374,368
			 Q36 5NC Waltham Forest PCT 345,070  345,070
			 Q36 5LG Wandsworth Teaching PCT 347,833  347,833 5,200  5,200 
			 Q31 5J2 Warrington PCT 305,154 16,807 321,961
			 Q34 5PM Warwickshire PCT 904,738  904,738 19,801  19,801 
			 Q35 5PV West Essex PCT 383,312 3,196 386,508 27,819  27,819 
			 Q35 5P4 West Hertfordshire PCT 768,922 5,934 774,856 60,267 5,934 66,201 
			 Q37 5P9 West Kent PCT 739,278 8,576 747,854 22,832 265 23,097 
			 Q37 5P6 West Sussex PCT 1,069,592  1,069,592 56,240  56,240 
			 Q31 5NN Western Cheshire PCT 479,715  479,715 19,086  19,086 
			 Q36 5LC Westminster PCT 317,231  317,231 5,584  5,584 
			 Q39 5QK Wiltshire PCT 492,173  492,173 22,843  22,843 
			 Q31 5NK Wirral PCT 633,542  633,542
			 Q34 5MV Wolverhampton City PCT 451,843 22,939 474,782 2,847  2,847 
			 Q34 5PL Worcestershire PCT 775,003 74,981 849,984 26,714 57,267 83,981 
		
	
	
		
			 Total initially in dispute  Unresolved  Resolved, outcome accepted  Resolved, outcome not accepted 
			 Contracts  UDAs  Contracts   UDAs  Contracts   UDAs  Contracts   UDAs 
			  SHA code  PCT code  PCT name  c1+c3+c5  c2+c4+c6  c1  c2  c3  c4  c5  c6 
			   England 2,726 27,915,402 396 4,018,349 2,315 23,758,039 15 139,014 
			
			 Q31 5HG Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 18 268,000   18 268,000   
			 Q36 5C2 Barking and Dagenham PCT 5 65,435   5 65,435   
			 Q36 5A9 Barnet PCT 44 245,019   44 245,019   
			 Q32 5JE Barnsley PCT 17 232,157 2 12,717 14 208,326 1 11,114 
			 Q33 5ET Bassetlaw PCT 6 94,785 3 72,771 3 22,014   
			 Q39 5FL Bath and North East Somerset PCT 5 57,629 2 17,234 3 40,395   
			 Q35 5P2 Bedfordshire PCT 6 53,443   6 53,443   
			 Q38 5QG Berkshire East PCT 15 160,801   15 160,801   
			 Q38 5QF Berkshire West PCT 16 186,276 1 18,580 15 167,696   
			 Q36 TAK Bexley Care Trust 14 128,362 2 26,030 12 102,332   
			 Q34 5PG Birmingham East and North PCT 32 356,318 10 135,401 22 220,917   
			 Q31 5CC Blackburn and Darwen Teaching PCT 3 9,683   3 9,683   
			 Q31 5HP Blackpool PCT 9 55,518 3 11,357 6 44,161   
			 Q31 5HQ Bolton PCT 3 6,500   3 6,500   
			 Q39 5QN Bournemouth and Poole PCT 8 138,853 1 7,163 7 131,690   
			 Q32 5NY Bradford and Airedale PCT 15 198,016 2 18,587 13 179,429   
			 Q36 5K5 Brent Teaching PCT 21 3,600   21 3,600   
			 Q37 5LQ Brighton and Hove City PCT 33 213,338 3 12,549 30 200,789   
			 Q39 5QJ Bristol PCT 21 301,509 2 1,768 19 299,741   
			 Q36 5A7 Bromley PCT 34 253,111 2 9,494 32 243,617   
			 Q38 5QD Buckinghamshire PCT 31 190,694 2 16,286 28 166,641 1 7,767 
			 Q31 5JX Bury PCT 13 81,809 2 4,405 11 77,404   
			 Q32 5J6 Calderdale PCT 2 14,768   2 14,768   
			 Q35 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 22 212,963 3 26,310 19 186,653   
			 Q36 5K7 Camden PCT 10 53,705   10 53,705   
			 Q31 5NP Central and Eastern PCT 8 113,248 5 83,807 3 29,441   
			 Q31 5NG Central Lancashire PCT 29 442,333 1 9,643 28 432,690   
			 Q36 5C3 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 22 159,958 3 12,752 19 147,206   
			 Q39 5QP Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 42 425,485 16 232,916 26 192,569   
			 Q30 5ND County Durham PCT 18 194,636 1 19,510 17 175,126   
			 Q34 5MD Coventry Teaching PCT 28 468,119   28 468,119   
			 Q36 5K9 Croydon PCT 8 53,793 2 2,571 6 51,222   
			 Q31 5NE Cumbria PCT 13 71,495   13 71,495   
			 Q30 5J9 Darlington PCT 5 50,954   5 50,954   
			 Q33 5N7 Derby City PCT 18 209,453 7 75,640 11 133,813   
			 Q33 5N6 Derbyshire County PCT 21 281,358   21 281,358   
			 Q39 5QQ Devon PCT 15 225,653   15 225,653   
			 Q32 5N5 Doncaster PCT 6 83,494   6 83,494   
			 Q39 5QM Dorset PCT 5 80,432   5 80,432   
			 Q34 5PE Dudley PCT 4 65,472 3 38,635 1 26,837   
			 Q36 5HX Ealing PCT 7 4,187   7 4,187   
			 Q35 5P3 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 69 329,825   69 329,825   
			 Q31 5NH East Lancashire PCT 7 130,343   7 130,343   
			 Q32 5NW East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 4 28,979   4 28,979   
			 Q37 5P7 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 14 121,336   14 121,336   
			 Q37 5QA Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 51 487,149 31 268,680 19 201,694 1 16,775 
			 Q36 5C1 Enfield PCT 32 342,422 2 24,208 30 318,214   
			 Q30 5KF Gateshead PCT 18 198,194   18 198,194   
			 Q39 5QH Gloucestershire PCT 39 239,747   39 239,747   
			 Q35 5PR Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 8 166,305 3 34,305 5 132,000   
			 Q36 5A8 Greenwich TeachinG PCT 15 215,016 3 61,746 12 153,270   
			 Q31 5NM Halton and St. Helens PCT 1 5,600   1 5,600   
			 Q36 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 3 5,501   3 5,501   
			 Q38 5QC Hampshire PCT 30 317,046 1 7,771 29 309,275   
			 Q36 5C9 Haringey Teaching PCT 30 303,426 5 72,389 25 231,037   
			 Q36 5K6 Harrow PCT 2 1,598   2 1,598   
			 Q30 5D9 Hartlepool PCT 5 129,186   5 129,186   
			 Q37 5P8 Hastings and Rother PCT 8 65,129 4 18,777 4 46,352   
			 Q36 5A4 Havering PCT 4 45,452   4 45,452   
			 Q34 5MX Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 12 93,225   12 93,225   
			 Q34 5CN Herefordshire PCT 5 78,138 2 48,147 3 29,991   
			 Q31 5NQ Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 15 124,231 1 1,483 13 116,192 1 6,556 
			 Q36 5AT Hillingdon PCT 17 135,332   17 135,332   
			 Q36 5HY Hounslow PCT 12 7,671   12 7,671   
			 Q32 5NX Hull PCT 2 10,756   2 10,756   
			 Q38 5QT Isle of Wight NHS PCT 9 116,688 1 7,568 8 109,120   
			 Q36 5K8 Islington PCT 6 50,941   6 50,941   
			 Q36 5LA Kensington and Chelsea PCT 3 32,690   3 32,690   
			 Q36 5A5 Kingston PCT 7 36,691   7 36,691   
			 Q32 5N2 Kirklees PCT 47 611,220   47 611,220   
			 Q31 5J4 Knowsley PCT 15 217,445 6 116,021 9 101,424   
			 Q36 5LD Lambeth PCT 16 25,941   16 25,941   
			 Q32 5N1 Leeds PCT 65 781,216 9 176,711 56 604,505   
			 Q33 5PC Leicester City PCT 56 453,361 11 57,338 45 396,023   
			 Q33 5PA Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 54 415,609 3 18,980 49 373,976 2 22,653 
			 Q36 5LF Lewisham PCT 26 321,436   26 321,436   
			 Q33 5N9 Lincolnshire PCT 20 348,684 4 22,992 15 296,010 1 29,682 
			 Q31 5NL Liverpool PCT 
			 Q35 5GC Luton Teaching PCT 4 66,313   4 66,313   
			 Q31 5NT Manchester PCT 56 522,377 2 15,533 53 500,638 1 6,206 
			 Q37 5L3 Medway Teaching PCT 19 138,916 1 453 18 138,463   
			 Q35 5PX Mid Essex PCT 14 200,510   14 200,510   
			 Q30 5KM Middlesbrough County PCT 2 23,008   1 19,508 1 3,500 
			 Q38 5CQ Milton Keynes PCT 16 121,753   16 121,753   
			 Q30 5D7 Newcastle PCT 11 142,821   11 142,821   
			 Q36 5C5 Newham PCT 11 150,566 3 16,481 8 134,085   
			 Q35 5PQ Norfolk PCT 20 167,988   20 167,988   
			 Q35 5PW North East Essex PCT 11 112,963 6 80,894 5 32,069   
			 Q32 5AN North East Lincolnshire PCT 
			 Q31 5NF North Lancashire PCT 1 3,678   1 3,678   
			 Q32 5EF North Lincolnshire PCT 
			 Q39 5M8 North Somerset PCT 12 227,763 4 14,954 8 212,809   
			 Q34 5PH North Staffordshire PCT 2 13,828   2 13,828   
			 Q30 5E1 North Tees PCT 3 38,836   3 38,836   
			 Q30 5D8 North Tyneside PCT 4 56,099   4 56,099   
			 Q32 5NV North Yorkshire and York PCT 22 243,567 14 114,944 6 118,342 2 10,281 
			 Q33 5PD Northamptonshire PCT 12 169,978   10 151,346 2 18,632 
			 Q30 TAC Northumberland Care Trust 7 114,167   7 114,167   
			 Q33 5EM Nottingham City PCT 22 459,490 19 202,056 2 252,566 1 4,868 
			 Q33 5N8 Nottinghamshire County PCT 
			 Q31 5J5 Oldham PCT 13 143,180   13 143,180   
			 Q38 5QE Oxfordshire PCT 51 430,419 20 135,623 31 294,796   
			 Q35 5PN Peterborough PCT 7 151,876 2 58,025 5 93,851   
			 Q39 5F1 Plymouth Teaching PCT 1 627   1 627   
			 Q38 5FE Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 12 201,236 3 31,670 9 169,566   
			 Q36 5NA Redbridge PCT 13 133,078   13 133,078   
			 Q30 5QR Redcar and Cleveland PCT 2 38,754   2 38,754   
			 Q36 5M6 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 3 12,743   3 12,743   
			 Q32 5H8 Rotherham PCT 30 386,393 3 43,515 27 342,878   
			 Q31 5F5 Salford Teaching PCT 5 29,415 1 2,987 4 26,428   
			 Q34 5PF Sandwell PCT 46 580,226 9 120,607 37 459,619   
			 Q31 5NJ Sefton PCT 4 40,687   4 40,687   
			 Q32 5N4 Sheffield PCT 70 865,029 23 289,556 47 575,473   
			 Q34 5M2 Shropshire County PCT 55 340,561 23 111,380 32 229,181   
			 Q34 TAM Solihull Care Trust 26 206,570 1 7,101 24 198,489 1 980 
			 Q39 5QL Somerset PCT 28 326,884   28 326,884   
			 Q34 5M1 South Birmingham PCT 34 402,443 1 18,680 33 383,763   
			 Q35 5P1 South East Essex PCT 17 167,410 3 24,309 14 143,101   
			 Q39 5A3 South Gloucestershire PCT 20 380,288 6 96,926 14 283,362   
			 Q34 5PK South Staffordshire PCT 33 183,707   33 183,707   
			 Q30 5KG South Tyneside PCT 16 365,208   16 365,208   
			 Q35 5PY South West Essex PCT 17 221,553 4 79,969 13 141,584   
			 Q38 5L1 Southampton City PCT 15 149,264   15 149,264   
			 Q36 5LE Southwark PCT 
			 Q31 5F7 Stockport PCT 46 488,519   46 488,519   
			 Q34 5PJ Stoke on Trent PCT 11 192,230 1 24,167 10 168,063   
			 Q35 5PT Suffolk PCT 29 231,995   29 231,995   
			 Q30 5KL Sunderland Teaching PCT 
			 Q37 5P5 Surrey PCT 28 246,433 5 65,233 23 181,200   
			 Q36 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT 39 211,279 8 29,455 31 181,824   
			 Q39 5K3 Swindon PCT 2 19,549   2 19,549   
			 Q31 5LH Tameside and Glossop PCT 10 167,073   10 167,073   
			 Q34 5MK Telford and Wrekin PCT 24 272,475 8 51,285 16 221,190   
			 Q39 TAL Torbay Care Trust 3 77,642   3 77,642   
			 Q36 5C4 Tower Hamlets PCT 2 9,217   2 9,217   
			 Q31 5NR Trafford PCT 23 172,200   23 172,200   
			 Q32 5N3 Wakefield District PCT 19 342,735 2 27,125 17 315,610   
			 Q34 5M3 Walsall Teaching PCT 3 67,127   3 67,127   
			 Q36 5NC Waltham Forest PCT 7 53,143 6 44,562 1 8,581   
			 Q36 5LG Wandsworth Teaching PCT 17 347,833   17 347,833   
			 Q31 5J2 Warrington PCT 14 133,357 1 21,155 13 112,202   
			 Q34 5PM Warwickshire PCT 22 186,743 5 46,952 17 139,791   
			 Q35 5PV West Essex PCT 9 76,923 3 11,442 6 65,481   
			 Q35 5P4 West Hertfordshire PCT 82 506,883 25 212,853 57 294,030   
			 Q37 5P9 West Kent PCT 44 376,667 8 85,256 36 291,411   
			 Q37 5P6 West Sussex PCT 55 493,016 2 2,636 53 490,380   
			 Q31 5NN Western Cheshire PCT 3 16,925   3 16,925   
			 Q36 5LC Westminster PCT 9 43,029   9 43,029   
			 Q39 5QK Wiltshire PCT 9 104,709 1 10,728 8 93,981   
			 Q31 5NK Wirral PCT 43 633,542 5 97,711 38 535,831   
			 Q34 5MV Wolverhampton City PCT 8 71,841   8 71,841   
			 Q34 5PL Worcestershire PCT 19 134,254 4 18,884 15 115,370   
			  Source: Department of Health form DC01. 
		
	
	
		
			  Dental contracts, strategic health authorities in England, as at 31 March 2002 
			UDAs commissioned  UDAs recommissioned 
			  SHA code  SHA name  And provided  But not yet provided  Total  And provided  But not yet provided  Total 
			b2  b1  b1+b2  a2  a1  a1+a2 
			  England 77,125,114 1,286,803 78,411,917 2,533,414 302,651 2,836,065 
			 
			 Q30 North East 4,713,693 105,887 4,819,580 134,825 22,076 156,901 
			 Q31 North West 11,827,723 166,087 11,993,810 371,594 43,458 415,052 
			 Q32 Yorkshire and the Humber 8,245,279 105,919 8,351,198 216,859 6,386 223,245 
			 Q33 East Midlands 6,539,671 414,097 6,953,768 311,946 31,359 343,305 
			 Q34 West Midlands 8,959,524 162,140 9,121,664 278,385 70,588 348,973 
			 Q35 East of England 8,649,715 75,031 8,724,746 319,449 7,777 327,226 
			 Q36 London 10,565,491 10,677 10,576,168 174,014 1,200 175,214 
			 Q37 South East Coast 5,534,358 74,990 5,609,348 221,201 30,497 251,698 
			 Q38 South Central 4,654,848 116,685 4,771,533 243,695 53,555 297,250 
			 Q39 South West 7,434,812 55,290 7,490,102 261,446 35,755 297,201 
		
	
	
		
			Contracts  UDAs  Contracts  UDAs  Contracts  UDAs  Contracts  UDAs 
			  SHA code  SHA name  c1+c3+c5  c2+c4+c6  c1  c2  c3  c4  c5  c6 
			  England 2,726 27,915,402 396 4,018,349 2,315 23,758,039 15 139,014 
			   
			 Q30 North East 91 1,351,863 1 19,510 89 1,328,853 1 3,500 
			 Q31 North West 352 3,877,158 27 364,102 323 3,500,294 2 12,762 
			 Q32 Yorkshire and the Humber 299 3,798,330 55 683,155 241 3,093,780 3 21,395 
			 Q33 East Midlands 209 2,432,718 47 449,777 156 1,907,106 6 75,835 
			 Q34 West Midlands 364 3,713,277 67 621,239 296 3,091,058 1 980 
			 Q35 East of England 315 2,666,950 49 528,107 266 2,138,843   
			 Q36 London 439 3,452,175 36 299,688 403 3,152,487   
			 Q37 South East Coast 252 2,141,984 54 453,584 197 1,671,625 1 16,775 
			 Q38 South Central 195 1,874,177 28 217,498 166 1,648,912 1 7,767 
			 Q39 South West 210 2,606,770 32 381,689 178 2,225,081   
			  Source: Department of Health form DC01.

Dental Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of patients who underwent assessment were assessed as eligible for national health service orthodontic treatment, broken down by primary care trust in the last 12 months.

Ann Keen: Information is not held centrally in this form. Information has been placed in the Library which shows the ratio of case assessments to case starts (i.e. the start of a course of treatment) notified to the Business Services Authority, Dental Services Division for the period April 2006 to March 2007 for national health service orthodontic services provided under primary care contracts. However, there are likely to be a number of potential reasons (i.e. not limited to decisions that a patient is not eligible for treatment) why a case assessment is not followed by a case start.
	Under the dental reforms introduced in April 2006, all providers of primary care orthodontic services are required to use a well-established index of orthodontic treatment need to assess eligibility for NHS treatment. This provides a fairer and more consistent way of assessing clinical needs and ensuring that resources are deployed on treatments that bring genuine health gain. It is for primary care trusts to agree local clinical governance frameworks that cover what information providers of orthodontic services have to make available to demonstrate compliance with this and other contractual requirements.

Dental Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to assist the resolution of the general dental services contracts that were in dispute at 31 March.

Ann Keen: Primary care trusts and local providers of national health service dental services are responsible for seeking to resolve any disputed elements of NHS contracts. If the parties cannot reach a local resolution, the dispute can be referred to the NHS Litigation Authority. The NHS primary care contracting team offers and provides support and advice on dispute resolution to those commissioners who request it.
	Eighty seven per cent. of all those contracts originally signed in dispute have so far been resolved. Well over 99 per cent. of the disputes so far resolved have ended in the dentist deciding to stay with the NHS.

Dental Services: Waiting Lists

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for orthodontic treatment was in each primary care trust in each year since 2001.

Ann Keen: Tables have been placed in the Library which set out available information on the average waiting times for first consultant outpatient appointments and for hospital orthodontic treatment. Information relating to treatment in primary care is not collected centrally.
	Average waiting times are based on the median wait of patients still waiting for admission or first outpatient appointment at the end of the quarter. For outpatients, medians can also be calculated using patients seen during the quarter. However, for consistency with inpatient data, the outpatient median has been calculated from those still waiting.

Dentistry: Training

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis applicants to practise as dentists in the NHS are able to claim exemption from the requirement to undertake vocational training in the UK prior to acceptance; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Dentists who hold appropriate European diplomas are exempt from the requirement to undertake vocational training. Dentists who, in the four years before applying for inclusion in a primary care trust's (PCT) dental performers list, have experience in primary care for a total period of at least two years or an equivalent period part time in the community dental service, the armed forces of the Crown, or the performance of personal dental services prior to 1 April 2006, are also exempt. Through their responsibility for clinical governance and the management of their performers lists PCTs are accountable for the quality of the services provided by all dentists on their lists.

Departments: Disciplinary Proceedings

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in his Department have been  (a) disciplined and  (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: Two departmental employees have been subject to disciplinary action for internet misuse, neither was dismissed.
	We also had two cases of disciplinary action involving temporary contractors. In each case, the contract was terminated immediately.
	The Department has blocked calls to all premium numbers.

Departments: Public Appointments

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to reorganise the system of health tsars.

Dawn Primarolo: There are no plans to reorganise the system of national clinical directors (health tsars) in the Department.

Departments: Publicity

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of advertising commissioned by his Department in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has run a number of advertising campaigns during the previous 12 months in the drive to improve public health. In some instances these are part of longer-term campaigns to address particular issues, e.g. smoking cessation, and some are tactical campaigns, e.g. flu immunisation.
	Where long-term campaigns are involved, evaluation techniques are used to measure current performance against pre-determined targets, and to benchmark against previous campaigns. By so doing the department can aim to improve the effectiveness of future campaigns. This is consistent with the recommended principles of the Engage planning framework, which is designed to improve the quality and effectiveness of government campaigns.
	Where campaigns have short-term tactical targets, evaluation is also specifically undertaken to ensure response levels are achieved through the most effective deployment of media, and once more to inform future planning for similar activities. Examples of these two campaign approaches follow.
	Depending on the nature of the task, the department uses appropriate industry-wide recognised measures to determine the success and cost effectiveness of the campaign. The Central Office of Information is often involved in the campaign development process and these measures are also used by them to measure campaign success levels. The measures chosen will include some of the following elements:
	spontaneous ad awareness;
	prompted ad awareness;
	spontaneous ad recall;
	prompted ad recall;
	logo/brand recognition;
	slogan recognition;
	ad recall (first mention);
	ad recall (all mentions);
	attitude shift (pre/post);
	attitude shift (regular tracking);
	specific policy/product detail recall;
	agreement with relevant statements (pre/post);
	response by channel (telephone, coupon, website);
	response by medium (TV, national press, etc);
	response for information;
	response to helpline;
	second stage response (e.g. fill in an application form);
	final stage response (e.g. receive benefit, give blood);
	tracking of response quality (from initial inquiry to final result);
	behavioural shiftimmediate (e.g. join smoking cessation group); and
	behavioural shiftlong term (e.g. give up smoking).
	Example of long-term campaign evaluation
	Using these measures, some of the top line results from recent tobacco campaigns since September 2006 are as follows:
	 Motivations That Matter (September 2006)
	70 per cent. of 16-34 smoking men aware that impotence can be caused by smoking, (compared to 45 per cent. at start of campaign).
	41 per cent. of 16-34 smoking women said the ads made them more likely to quit.
	 Hook/Send Off (January to March 2007)
	82 per cent. of smokers agreed that a smoker who smokes 5,000 cigarettes a year must be really addicted;
	76 per cent. of smokers agreed that the campaign was aimed at people like me;
	39 per cent. of smokers said 'Hook' made them think they should give up now; and
	23 per cent. of smokers said that TV advertising was a prompt for their most recent quit attempt (prompted).
	 Direct Response:
	During the Hook/Send Off campaign 83,606 people phoned the NHS Smoking Helpline, 545,564 people visited the gosmokefree website and 195,000 people interacted with the interactive TV pages (total of 824,170 responses).
	 Secondhand Smoke (March 2007)
	42 per cent. of adults (48 per cent. of smokers) spontaneously recalled any element of the campaign (82 per cent. and 84 per cent. respectively for prompted awareness);
	88 per cent. of adults agreed second hand smoke can cause lung cancer in non-smokers post-campaign (78 per cent. pre-campaign);
	75 per cent. of adults agreed second hand smoke can cause heart disease in non-smokers post-campaign (70 per cent. pre-campaign); and
	50 per cent. agreed most of the smoke from a cigarette can't be seen or smelt post-campaign (27 per cent. pre-campaign).
	 Example of tactical campaign evaluation:
	The flu immunisation communications campaign has been run annually since 2000. The advertising has been evaluated by pre and post campaigns surveys of the target audiences to measure changes in spontaneous and prompted recall and recognition of the advertising, propensity to get the jab, the relative cost effectiveness of the different media, take-up of campaign materials, and ultimately, take-up of the jab.
	In 2006 the research indicated that, compared to 2005, the advertising had achieved:
	similar levels of prompted recall and recognition among the at-risks groups;
	propensity to get the jab was also similar to 2005 among the total sample surveyed, and increased with the number of media recognised;
	among the over-65s there was some decline in spontaneous and prompted recall of any flu jab advertising, and in propensity to get the jab; and
	among the at-risk groups of all ages spontaneous recall of any flu jab advertising changed little, but there was a decline in prompted recall. Propensity to get the jab remained stable, and was slightly higher among those who had seen the campaign.
	Take-up of the campaign materials by the national health service was 2.8 million items.
	The campaign contributed a take-up of the vaccine of 74 per cent. among the over-65s in 2006 (65.3 per cent. in 2000-01), towards the World Health Organization target of 75 per cent. by 2010.

Departments: Racial Harassment

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which his Department is responsible have been  (a) investigated and  (b) upheld in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: During the last 12 months (for the period July 2006 to July 2007) the Department has received no official complaints of racial abuse.

Drugs: Advisory Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have used the Talk to Frank helpline in each year since it was set up.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of children who have contacted the Talk to Frank Helpline from 2004-05 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  Total 
			 Under 16 4,237 5,917 4,444 14,598 
			 16 to 25 11,629 14,136 14,974 40,739

Drugs: Advisory Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the reasons for calls to the Talk to Frank helpline, broken down by substance abuse type.

Dawn Primarolo: From April 2006 to March 2007, the main reason (72.60 per cent.) for calls to the Talk to Frank helpline was to ask for information on individual substances. This reflects an increase of 6.3 per cent. compared to 2005-06. Further details of caller requirements are contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Caller requirements  Percentage 
			 Information given 72.60 
			 National referral 14.24 
			 Local referral 6.33 
			 Literature 5.78 
			 Campaign specific 0.67 
			 Query complaint 0.38 
		
	
	Of the calls requesting information, queries on Cannabis accounted for the majority of calls. They ranged from simple questions about the effects and general usage to more complex queries regarding the link between cannabis use and mental health. These queries were a result of increased media attention.
	Cocaine was the second most frequently discussed topic. Again these ranged from simple questions about the effects and risks of taking cocaine to more complex queries on how to cut down/reduce intake, and drug detection/testing.
	Further details showing a breakdown on individual substance/topic are contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Information advice topic  Percentage 
			 Cannabis general 20.51 
			 Cocaine 14.77 
			 Drugs (not specific) 13.38 
			 Heroin 8.76 
			 Drug detection and testing 6.48 
			 Other 6.45 
			 Ecstasy 4.65 
			 Amphetamines 3.17 
			 Crack 3.13 
			 Mental health-related 2.72 
			 Alcohol 2.33 
			 Methadone 1.98 
			 Legal-related 0.88 
			 Information on FRANK 0.86 
			 Misuse of other drugs 0.74 
			 Volatile substances 0.74 
			 Detoxification 0.73 
			 Other Opiates 0.73 
			 Anabolic Steroids 0.68 
			 Ketamine 0.68 
			 LSD 0.62 
			 Cannabis reclassification 0.50 
			 Pregnancy-related 0.50 
			 Medicinal use of drugs 0.44 
			 Other benzodiazepines 0.44 
			 Alkyl nitrates 0.36 
			 Hallucinogenic mushrooms 0.34 
			 Tobacco 0.30 
			 Crystal Meth/Methamphetamine 0.30 
			 Sexual behaviour-related 0.28 
			 GHB 0.27 
			 Temazepam 0.24 
			 Rohypnol 0.20 
			 Hepatitis C 0.14 
			 Employment-related (other than testing) 0.13 
			 Financial-related 0.12 
			 HIV-related 0.10 
			 Herbal highs 0.10 
			 Housing-related 0.07 
			 PCP 0.06 
			 Viagra 0.05 
			 Ice 0.04 
			 Khat 0.03 
		
	
	April 2006 to October 2006
	
		
			  Information/advice given  Percentage 
			 Cannabis 30.60 
			 Cocaine 20.63 
			 Drugs (not specific) 11.85 
			 Heroin 8.54 
			 Ecstasy 6.16 
			 Amphetamines 3.36 
			 Alcohol 3.31 
			 Crack 3.27 
			 Other 2.76 
			 Methadone 1.28 
			 Ketamine 0.93 
			 Prescription Drugs 0.79 
			 Anabolic Steroids 0.65 
			 LSD 0.64 
			 Volatile Substances 0.62 
			 Alkyl Nitrates 0.56 
			 Crystal Meth/Methamphetamines 0.50 
			 Subutex 0.47 
			 Valium/Diazepam 0.43 
			 Hallucinogenic Mushrooms 0.38 
			 GHB 0.36 
			 Other Opiates 0.35 
			 Misuse of other drugs 0.30 
			 Herbal Highs 0.24 
			 Other Benzodiazepines 0.24 
			 Tobacco 0.18 
			 Hepatitis C 0.13 
			 Temazepam 0.13 
			 Rohypnol 0.12 
			 Viagra 0.10 
			 PCP 0.06 
			 Khat 0.04 
			 Naltrexene 0.04 
		
	
	November 2006 to March 2007

Drugs: Advisory Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost has been of the Talk to Frank helpline since inception.

Dawn Primarolo: The Talk to Frank helpline is run as part of a pooled service that includes Know the Score, Drinkline, Sexual Health Line and Hepatitis C Information Line. This allows for a more efficient and cost effective model that shares costs across the helplines. The overall cost for the pooled service in 2006-07 was 1.45 million. Due to the shared nature of this service, it is impossible to give completely accurate cost for the Talk to Frank helpline alone. But based upon the split in number of calls, we estimate that the Talk to Frank helpline service would cost roughly 800,000 of the 1.5 million.

Drugs: Misuse

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of  (a) the number of problematic drug users (PDUs) in each county area in 2004-05 and  (b) the percentage of PDUs not in treatment who require it.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has made no estimate of the numbers of problematical drug users (PDUs) in each county area or the percentage of PDUs not in treatment who require it.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are receiving rehabilitation treatment for  (a) drug abuse and  (b) alcohol abuse.

Dawn Primarolo: In 2005-06, the last year for which there is data available a total of 5,617 clients undertook residential rehabilitation in relation to drug misuse. This compares with a 2004-05 figure of 4,992.
	We do not collect data centrally on the numbers of clients who undertake residential rehabilitation as a result of alcohol misuse.

Eating Disorders: Children

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2007,  Official Report, column 568W, on eating disorders: children, if he will break down the numbers of finished consultant episodes in each year from 1996-97 to 2005-06 by  (a) region and  (b) primary care trust.

Ivan Lewis: Information is not available in the format requested. Information at the primary care trust level could only be provided at the risk of breaching patient confidentiality. Tables have been placed in the Library which give the number of finished consultant episodes by region (pre-1998-99 national health service regional boundary change) when the primary diagnosis was related to an eating disorder.

Exercise: Children

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the amount of physical activity undertaken by school age children each week in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available in the format requested. Data on childhood physical activity are not available for 2007. Data on physical activity among children are collected in the Health Survey for England (HSE), but not in every year. We can provide data on the level of physical activity undertaken outside of school by boys and girls aged two-10 and boys and girls aged 11-15 for 1997 and 2002. Data are published in Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England, 2006, produced by The Information Centre for health and social care (The IC) at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/obesity/statistics-on-obesity-physical-activity-and-diet-england-2006
	This information is provided in the following table.
	In addition, data are available on participation in physical education (PE) and school sport from the School Sport survey. These are also published in Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England, 2006. The data were collected from 16,882 schools that are within school sport partnerships in England. The latest survey results show that in 2005-06 80 per cent. of pupils in school years one to 11 (mainly aged five to 15-years) in partnership schools participated in at least two hours of high quality PE and school sport in a typical week. These school sport partnerships were set up in a number of phases starting September 2000 and so there are no data available for 1997.
	
		
			  Table 1: Children's summary physical activity levels( 1, 2, 3) ,1997 and 2002England 
			  Percentages 
			   1997  2002 
			  Boys 2-10   
			 High(4) 54 55 
			 Medium 9 20 
			 Low 37 26 
			
			  Boys 11-15   
			 High(4) 55 56 
			 Medium 13 16 
			 Low 33 29 
			
			  Girls 2-10   
			 High(4) 45 48 
			 Medium 10 21 
			 Low 44 30 
			
			  Girls 11-15   
			 High(4) 27 34 
			 Medium 15 22 
			 Low 59 44 
			
			  Bases (weighted)   
			 Boys aged 2-10 1,425 2,705 
			 Boys aged 11-15 719 1,495 
			 Girls aged 2-10 1,456 2,598 
			 Girls aged 11-15 679 1,460 
			 (1 )High = 60 minutes or more on all seven days; Medium = 30-59 minutes on all seven days; Low = Lower level of activity (2) Only activities that lasted 15 minutes and over were included. (3) It was assumed that all walking and housework/gardening sessions in 2002 lasted 15 minutes. This was necessary in order to make 2002 and 1997 data comparable as there was no duration question for walking and housework/gardening in 1997. (4) Based on the assumption that all activity was of at least moderate intensity, this group represents those who met the physical activity recommendations for at least an hour of at least moderate-intensity activity a day.  Source: Health Survey for England, 2002. The Department of Health

Family Planning

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) full and  (b) part time family planning clinics there were in each health trust area in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not held centrally.
	The Department only currently collects aggregate data from family planning clinics at primary care trust (PCT) and national health service trust level. As such we cannot identify data on numbers of individual clinics (of which there are many) within these organisations.
	Data at PCT and NHS trust level are published in NHS Contraceptive Services, England 2005-06 and a copy of the latest bulletin is available in the Library. The information is also available at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/contraception/nhs-contraceptive-services-england-2005-06

Family Planning: Expenditure

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much each health trust spent on family planning services in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how the 20 million earmarked for improving access to contraceptive services and long acting reversible contraception in 2007-08 will be audited.

Dawn Primarolo: Family planning services are funded through revenue allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs). It is for PCTs to determine how to use the funding allocated to them to commission services, including contraceptive services, to meet the health care needs of their local populations.
	We have no plans to audit how Choosing Health funding allocated to PCTs to improve sexual health, including access to contraception, was spent. The national health service must be free to make its own local spending decisions and we do not believe it is necessary to increase the burden on the NHS by collecting and monitoring details of their expenditure.
	Rather we are interested in the real outcomes from local investment, and this is why we have introduced sexual health into the local delivery planning process and have identified this area as a key priority. This will enable us to see where real improvements are being delivered in areas such as waiting times and rates of infections.

Food: Labelling

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new proposals he has on food labelling.

Dawn Primarolo: Food labelling legislation is largely harmonised within the European Union. The European Commission is currently conducting a review of food labelling legislation, and is expected to publish a draft proposal for a new regulation by the end of the year.

Gender Identity Disorder

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what choices of provider are available for those referred for assessment, counselling and treatment for gender dysphoria and related gender role anxieties and conditions; whether the national waiting list targets apply to such referrals; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The main national health service centre providing specialist care for gender dysphoria and related gender role anxieties and conditions for adults in England is at Charing Cross hospital in London. There are smaller services in Leeds, Leicester, Newcastle and Bristol.
	The 18-week target for the maximum wait from general practitioner referral to first appointment with a consultant applies to all clinical conditions.
	The Government remain committed to reducing waiting times for all patients in all specialties and to providing choice of provider wherever appropriate.

Genito-urinary Medicine: Manpower

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) health professionals and  (b) administrators worked in sexual health clinics during each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not held centrally.

Genito-urinary Medicine: Publicity

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on publicising sexual health clinics to children and young people under the age of 18 years in each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health Services: Private Sector

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what contracts Milton Keynes primary care trust has with private sector suppliers in 2007-08, broken down by procedure; how many procedures have been contracted for in each case; and at what cost;
	(2)  which procedures contracted out by Milton Keynes primary care trust to the private sector are also carried out by Milton Keynes hospital;
	(3)  what proportion of contracts placed with private contractors by Milton Keynes primary care trust in 2006-07 have been fulfilled, broken down by procedure;
	(4)  what surgery was referred by Milton Keynes primary care trust to private contractors in each of the last three financial years, broken down by procedure;
	(5)  to which private contractors Milton Keynes primary care trust contracts out surgical work.

Ben Bradshaw: There is one independent sector contract, that was procured centrally through the Department, that delivers services across the Midlands, including Milton Keynes primary care trust (PCT). The treatment centres within the contract are the Reading NHS Treatment Centre, Norton NHS Treatment Centre and Blakelands NHS Treatment Centre. The provider for the contract is Capio. Information on locally procured services from independent sector providers is not held centrally.
	The contract for the centres is based on total value rather than procedure numbers as this allows PCTs to vary the case mix, within contracted limits, according to changing local needs. However, the indicative total activity for the contract is 17,852 procedures.
	Information held on case mix and patient discharges is shown in following tables.
	
		
			  Case mix 
			  Centre  Case mix 
			 Reading NHS Treatment Centre General Surgery, Urology, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Gynaecology 
			 Horton NHS Treatment Centre Trauma and Orthopaedics 
			 Blakelands NHS Treatment Centre General Surgery, Urology, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Dermatology 
		
	
	
		
			  Procedure numbers 
			  Financial year  Reading NHS Treatment Centre  Horton NHS Treatment Centre  Blakelands NHS Treatment Centre 
			 2004-05
			 2005-06 1,147  1,045 
			 2006-07 1,180 446 2,272 
		
	
	Overall utilisation for the independent sector treatment centres programme as at May 31 was 84 per cent. Individual utilisation rates and information detailing numbers of procedures can not be disclosed as this information is considered commercially sensitive in confidence. The Department is currently reviewing what information is made publicly available on phase one contracts, however no decision has yet been taken.

Health Services: Procurement

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when his Department expects to complete the update of the review of commissioning arrangements for specialised services;
	(2)  when he plans to set up the commissioning groups recommended under the Carter review.

Ben Bradshaw: The different commissioning groups recommended by Sir David Carter in his review of commissioning arrangements for specialised services are the National Commissioning Group, the National Specialised Commissioning Group and 10 local specialised commissioning groups. These were all established on 1 April 2007.
	An updated implementation plan will be posted very shortly on the Department's website. This sets out the key milestones that have been achieved in implementing the review recommendations and the remaining challenges.

Health Services: South East Region

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters were received by  (a) his Department and  (b) the West Sussex primary care trust as part of the response to the fit for the future discussion document published in May 2006; who is responsible for such papers; and where the letters are stored.

Dawn Primarolo: Due to the way correspondence is recorded, this information cannot be supplied without disproportionate cost.

Health Services: Tourism

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of British nationals requiring medical treatment whilst on holiday abroad over the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: We do not keep records about people treated outside Europe and no estimates have been made. We do know the costs of people treated under the European Union social security coordinating regulations. However the claims received from member states cover a number of different categories of people and to separate out temporary visitors could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Health Visitors: Hertfordshire

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on current levels of recruitment of  (a) health visitors,  (b) nursery nurses,  (c) support workers and  (d) midwives in Hertfordshire.

Ivan Lewis: It is the responsibility of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to analyse their local situation and develop plans, in liaison with their local national health service trusts and primary care providers, to deliver high quality NHS services and take action to recruit the appropriate staff required to deliver these services. We understand that the current levels of recruitment of health visitors, nursery nurses, support workers and midwives are in line with work force plans designed to ensure that high-quality services and patient care will continue in Hertfordshire.

Health: Schools

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of schools have healthy school status.

Dawn Primarolo: As at 16 July 2007, there were 8,930 schools (40 per cent.) who had gained the full National Healthy Schools Status. We are on track to meet our next milestone, of 55 per cent. of schools with National Healthy School Status by December 2007.

Hospitals: West Sussex

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide to the West Sussex Primary Care Trust the representations he and his Department have received in the last 12 months relating to the possible change in hospital services at Worthing and Southlands hospital.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department received approximately 155 letters relating to possible changes at the Worthing and Southlands hospital, between July 2006 and July 2007.

Hospitals: West Sussex

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether letters received by  (a) his Department and  (b) West Sussex primary care trust in response to the original fit for the future discussion document will be taken into account when considering responses to the consultation exercise on the reconfiguration of hospitals in West Sussex.

Dawn Primarolo: This is a matter for the national health service locally. The Department of Health expects the local NHS to take a range of factors into account when considering proposals.

Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to ensure that all adolescent girls are offered the human papilloma virus vaccination before they leave compulsory education; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has agreed in principle to accept the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) that human papilloma virus vaccines should be introduced routinely for girls aged around 12-13 years, subject to independent peer review of the cost benefit analysis. Details of the programme will be finalised in the coming months, following further advice from the JCVI and discussions with the national health service on the implementation of the programme. The JCVI is currently considering the evidence regarding the benefits and costs of vaccinating older girls, and will provide advice on this issue in due course.

Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to enable self-referral to a GP for the human papilloma virus vaccine for  (a) those that will not take part in the immunisation programme in the 2007-08 school year and  (b) older women.

Dawn Primarolo: The new human papilloma virus vaccines offer tremendous potential to protect women as they prevent up to 70 per cent. of cervical cancers, provided it is given before youngsters become sexually active. This is because the vaccine does not, in general, protect against established human papilloma virus infection.
	The priority is to directly protect young girls against their future risk of cervical cancer.
	General practitioners may exceptionally prescribe the vaccine if the clinical circumstances of a patient warrant such action.

IVF

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many cycles of in-vitro fertilisation treatment were offered in  (a) each regional health authority,  (b) each primary care trust and  (c) England in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what principal criteria are used to determine the availability of in-vitro fertilisation treatment in each primary care trust.

Dawn Primarolo: We do not currently collect this information on a routine basis. Clinical criteria for the provision of fertility services, including in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), are set out in the guideline on the assessment and treatment for people with fertility problems published in 2004 by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. We are aware that most primary care trusts are providing at least one cycle of IVF and we are working with the patient support organisation Infertility Network UK to help primary care trusts share best practice in the provision of fertility services and engage with fertility patients in the planning and prioritisation of services.

IVF: Costs

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the cost of in-vitro fertilisation in the NHS in the last 10 years.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 10 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1449W.

Maternity Services: Admissions

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the grounds are for a maternity unit to be required to close temporarily to admissions for safety reasons.

Ann Keen: Demand for beds in maternity units is by its very nature unpredictable. There are various factors that influence the decision to close a maternity unit for a period of time, including staff and bed availability and the number of women and complexity of care needed. It is important that in circumstances where a unit considers or actually does close, systems and guidelines are in place to ensure pregnant women continue to have access to alternative maternity services and safe provision of care.

Maternity Services: Intensive Care

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many neonatal intensive care cots there were in each NHS trust in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many  (a) neonatal intensive cots and  (b) special care cots in each trust were not being used due to lack of staff in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many neonatal units were closed to admissions for a period during each of the last five years; and how long each such unit was closed for;
	(4)  what the average occupancy rate for intensive care cots was in each NHS trust in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: There were 1,543 cots in England in 2001-02; 1,551 in 2002-03; 1,491 in 2003-04; 1,523 in 2004-05 and 1,688 in 2005-06. The number of cots in each national health service trust in each year has been placed in the Library. Statistics on when and for how long units were closed and where babies may have had to travel in the absence of a local bed are not available. The average occupancy rate of neonatal intensive care cots remains steady at 73-75 per cent.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter of 12 June 2007 from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire about pay for nurses.

Ann Keen: The letter from the hon. Member was answered on 13 July 2007.

Mental Health Services

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what choices are being offered to mental health service users.

Ivan Lewis: The Department launched Our Choices in Mental Health in November 2006 and this sets out four points in the care pathway where mental health service users and carers value choice. This document also provides positive practice examples of how this is now being offered.
	The four choice points are:
	life choices, where people manage their own care to the extent with which they are comfortable, and maintain their normal lives as far as is possible;
	a choice of mental health services contacts other than a general practitioner being the only port of call for service users and carers during an episode of mental illness;
	a choice in when and where an assessment of mental illness is carried out; and
	a choice of care options so that service users and carers have a range of suitable care options to choose from, information about each option and support to make these decisions.

Mental Health Services

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review mental health services; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The National Service Framework for Mental Health (NSF) was published in 1999, setting out a comprehensive vision for mental health care in England and outlining a 10 year programme of work in an area that was previously neglected.
	The NSF was reviewed in 2004 by Louis Appleby, the National Director for Mental Health. His report, The National Service Framework for Mental HealthFive years on, identified the need to broaden the focus of work from the specialist mental health services to the mental health needs of the community as a whole.
	The NSF's programme of work is kept under regular review, especially in the light of recent reforms to health and social care systems.

Mentally Ill: Hospitals

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in  (a) England,  (b) Nottinghamshire and  (c) Nottingham were sectioned to psychiatric wards in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: Information about the number of formal detentions under the Mental Health Act 1983 since 2001-02 is shown in the following table. These figures relate to all age groups of adults and children.
	
		
			  Number of detentions under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation (England): children and adults of all ages 
			   Number 
			 2001-02 47,806 
			 2002-03 46,489 
			 2003-04 45,691 
			 2004-05 46,673 
			 2005-06 47,394 
			  Source:  The Information Centre for health and social care published data Form KP90 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of detentions under the Mental Health Act 1983 in Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust which provides mental health services across Nottinghamshire 
			   Number 
			 2001-02 Not available 
			 2002-03 1,034 
			 2003-04 861 
			 2004-05 1,062 
			 2005-06 959 
			  Source:  The Information Centre for health and social care Form KP90. 
		
	
	The figures for Nottinghamshire include those for Nottingham. Separate figures for Nottingham are not available.

National Patient and Public Involvement Director

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to replace the National Patient and Public Involvement Director.

Ann Keen: Following Harry Cayton's appointment as chief executive of the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence, the Department will be appointing a new Director for Patients and the Public in the autumn. The Department is taking this opportunity to review the role in light of wider changes within the Department and, in particular, how the new director can drive forward increased patient and public involvement in local services.
	Harry Cayton has held the post of National Director for Patients and the Public since 2002. This has been a time of significant impact and achievement. He has accepted the Secretary of State's invitation to chair the National Information Governance Board until October 2008.

NHS: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the relative needs formula component of the formula grant for local authorities is determined; when it was last reviewed; which variables are included in the formula; who determines the formula; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The social care relative needs formulae for all client groups were reviewed in 2005 and new formulae were introduced for the 2006-07 settlement. The formulae are mainly produced through academic research projects and will remain unchanged for the next three-year settlement.
	The older people's formula consists of a basic amount per person aged 65 and over and top-ups for age, deprivation, sparsity, low income from fees and charges, and area costs.
	The variable in the age top-up is the proportion of the 65 and over population that is aged 90 years and over.
	The variables in the deprivation top-up are the proportions of people aged 65 and over with the following characteristics:
	in receipt of income support or pension credit;
	in receipt of attendance allowance;
	living in rented accommodation; and
	living alone in a household.
	The sparsity top-up is calculated using data on the population sparsity of those aged over 65.
	The variable in the current top-up for low income from fees and charges is the proportion of older people living in rented accommodation. This is the only part of the funding formulae that is calculated internally by departmental analysts, and the analysis has recently been re-run using the latest data. The resulting two options will be included in the Department for Communities and Local Government's Formula Grant Distribution Consultation over the summer.
	The area cost adjustments for older people and younger adults are calculated by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to take into account the differing costs of providing adult social care by area.
	The younger adult's formula consists of a basic amount per person aged 18-64 and top-ups for deprivation and area costs. The variables included in the deprivation top-up are:
	the proportion of people in receipt of disability living allowance aged 18-64;
	the proportion of people who have never worked or are long term unemployed;
	the proportion of people in routine occupations; and
	the proportion of households with no family.
	The DCLG have responsibility for the overall local government finance settlement.
	Central Government, following consultation with local government and subject to parliamentary approval, determines the relative needs formulae based on the results of the research and analysis.

NHS: Finance

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely impact of recent changes in the NHS capital expenditure budget.

Ben Bradshaw: The capital expenditure budget for 2007-08 has been adjusted to reflect latest forecasts of expenditure for the year from the national health service. Therefore, recent changes in the NHS capital expenditure budget have had no impact on the NHS capital expenditure programme.

NHS: Surveys

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the full results of the IpsosMORI survey referred to on page 24 of the Chief Executive of the NHS's Annual Report 2006-07, published on 21 June 2007, showing that less than 60 per cent. of the public are satisfied with the NHS overall.

Ann Keen: The full results of the IpsosMORI survey, referred to on page 24 of the Chief Executive of the NHS's Annual Report 2006-07, were published in June and have been placed in the Library and are available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Freedomofinformationpublicationschemefeedback/Classesofinformation/Communicationsresearch/index.htm

NHS: Translation Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he or his predecessor has received any requests from primary care trusts for extra funding to cover patient translation costs.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has no record of any specific requests from primary care trusts to the current or former Secretary of State for extra funding to cover patient translation costs.

Osteoporosis: Blackpool

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what proportion of people living in Blackpool who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis are  (a) under and  (b) over the age of 70 years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people in  (a) Blackpool and  (b) the North West who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis and are (i) unable to take and (ii) do not respond to the drug alendronate;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of people in  (a) Blackpool and  (b) the North West who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of people in  (a) Blackpool and  (b) the North West who have osteoporosis and receive no drug treatment for the disease.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally.

Osteoporosis: Preventive Medicine

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what range of treatments is available to post-menopausal women at risk of osteoporotic fracture;
	(2)  what percentage of people diagnosed with osteoporosis are prescribed treatments to help prevent fractures occurring;
	(3)  what assessment his Department has made of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on the use of drugs to prevent osteoporotic fractures in post-menopausal women.

Ann Keen: We have made no assessment of the range of treatments available to post-menopausal woman at risk from osteoporotic fracture.
	Information on the percentage of those diagnosed with osteoporosis prescribed treatments to help prevent fractures occurring is not collected.
	We have made no assessment of the draft guidance currently being developed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Patients: Accidents

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients received injuries as a result of accidents while staying in hospitals in England in the last period for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The number of incidents reported to the National Patient Safety Agency's national reporting and learning system (NRLS) classified as patient accidents, resulting in some degree of harm to a patient, in an inpatient setting in either acute, general, community or mental health hospitals in England between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007 is 84,240. This information is based on the date the incident was reported to the NRLS rather than on the actual date of occurrence.

Plagiocephaly

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the incidence of plagiocephaly; and what statistical correlation there is between that incidence and numbers of babies placed on their backs to sleep;
	(2)  how many cases of plagiocephaly were identified in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available;
	(3)  what treatment is available on the NHS for plagiocephaly; how many babies were treated for plagiocephaly in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Department has made no such assessment. Neither does it collect figures on the numbers of cases of plagiocephaly. However, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children has estimated that almost half of children develop positional plagiocephaly and that only a very small minority develop it in the womb. The rest develop positional plagiocephaly from spending a lot of time in one position, usually on their backs. Nevertheless, Doctors recommend that babies sleep on their backs in order to reduce the incidence of cot death.
	There are several treatments for plagiocephaly available either on the national health service, or through parental intervention. However, since in the overwhelming majority of cases, the condition is self-correcting, many doctors do not deem additional treatment necessary.

Pleural Plaques

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were treated for pleural plaques in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: Information on the number of people treated for pleural plaques is not collected.

Pregnant Women: Alcoholic Drinks

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he is giving to making screening for maternal alcohol consumption via objective techniques such as Tolerance Annoyed Cut down Eye-opener (T-ACE) and Tolerance Worried Eye-opener Amnesia, Kut-down (TWEAK) part of routine antenatal care in the NHS.

Dawn Primarolo: There are no plans to use these techniques. The National Institute for Health and Clinical( )Excellence are currently updating their antenatal care guideline and it will include a risk( )assessment tool. The guideline will include educational aspects of antenatal care, the normal( )physiological processes taking place, how the women can contribute to her own and the( )baby's good health and well-being and minimise exposure to risks (for example, diet,( )exercise, alcohol and drug consumption, sexual activity and smoking cessation).

Primary Care Trusts: Local Government

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the likely impact of implementing district unitary authorities on the operation of primary care trusts;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the impact of the bids of local authorities shortlisted for unitary status on health provision in those areas;
	(3)  what discussions she had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the local authorities seeking unitary status which appeared on the shortlist published by the Department for Communities and Local Government on 27 March 2006.

Ben Bradshaw: The decision as to which proposals should proceed to stakeholder consultation reflected the collective decision of Government. All 26 unitary proposals that were received in response to the invitation issued on 26 October 2006 were assessed against the five criteria set out in that invitation. The 16 unitary proposals that have been subject to the stakeholder consultation will now be reassessed against the same five criteria having regard to all the information available including that received in response the consultation. Primary care trusts, along with a range of public bodies, have been able to submit their views as part of the stakeholder consultation.

Primary Care Trusts: Local Government

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her policy is on co-terminosity of boundaries between primary care trusts and local government structures.

Ivan Lewis: We are committed to enabling local authorities and their partners in the national health service to work together to deliver better integrated health and social care services. One of the aims of the reconfiguration programme 'Commissioning a Patient-led NHS', which was published in July 2005, was to improve relationships between healthcare and local authorities by bringing their boundaries closer together. Approximately 70 per cent. of the new primary care trusts (PCTs) are coterminous with the boundaries of local authorities with social services responsibilities. This compares with 44 per cent. of PCTs previously coterminous.

PSSEX1 Expenditure Return

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information is gathered in the PSSEX1 Expenditure Return.

Ivan Lewis: The personal social services expenditure return (PSSEX1) is collected by The Information Centre for health and social care, and shows data from local authorities on current expenditure and unit costs on personal social services for adults and children, both nationally and for individual authorities. Expenditure data is presented on a gross and net basis, and is also split between authorities' own provision and provision by others. It is also broken down by client groups:
	older people (including those with disabilities);
	children and family services (including children with disabilities);
	learning disabled adults;
	physically disabled adults;
	mentally ill adults;
	asylum seekers; and
	other adult services.
	Services are analysed between residential day and domiciliary provision, and the costs of assessment and care management are also identified.
	The latest available data are on 2005-06 Expenditure report, which can be accessed at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/social-care/adult-social-care-information/personal-social-services-expenditure-and-unit-costs-england:-2005-06

Smoking

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on  (a) prevention and  (b) campaigns designed to assist people to stop smoking in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The available information is set out in the tables.
	The Department does not centrally collect information on additional local spend on tobacco control including campaigns.
	
		
			  Campaign advertising expenditure for smoking 
			million 
			 1997-98  
			 1998-99  
			 1999-2000 6.18 
			 2000-01 8.97 
			 2001-02 7.79 
			 2002-03 7.87 
			 2003-04 17.34 
			 2004-05 24.00 
			 2005-06 22.70 
			 2006-07 13.5 
		
	
	
		
			  Financial allocations to the NHS for stop smoking services 
			million 
			 1997-98  
			 1998-99  
			 1999-2000 (1)10 
			 2000-01 (2)20 
			 2001-02 (2, 3)23 
			 2002-03 (3)23 
			 2003-04 41 
			 2004-05 46 
			 2005-06 51 
			 2006-07 56 
			 2007-08 56 
			 HAZ = Health action zones. (1) HAZs only. (2) 10 million HAZs, 10 million HAs. (3) 3 million in 2001-02 and 2002-03 for smoking in pregnancy initiative.

Smoking: Health Hazards

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by his Department on treating smoking related diseases in each year since 1997, broken down by health authority.

Dawn Primarolo: Data are not collected in the format requested.
	In the White Paper Smoking Kills a cost of up to 1.7 billion per year was identified as the cost to the national health service of treating smoking related diseases. This was based on research published by the Health Education Authority in 1997. These documents are available in the Library.

Smoking: Public Places

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect of the smoking ban on  (a) the number of pubs operating in England and  (b) employment in that sector.

Dawn Primarolo: An assessment of the costs and benefits of smokefree legislation is set out in the final Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) that was published by the Department in December 2006.
	Partial RIAs were included within the Consultation on the Smokefree Elements of the Health Improvement and Protection Bill published in 2005 and in Smoke-free Premises and Vehicles: Consultation on proposed regulations to be made under powers in the Health Bill published in 2006. Both consultation exercises invited stakeholders to provide comments on the partial RIA as well as the proposals in the consultation. Responses from stakeholders assisted the Department in producing the final RIA.
	All documents referred to are available in the Library.

Solvents: Misuse

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of children who have  (a) died and  (b) been brain damaged by volatile substance abuse in each of the last 10 years.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of young people under the age of 18 who have died from volatile substance misuse in the last 10 years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of children 
			 1996 35 
			 1997 29 
			 1998 26 
			 1999 25 
			 2000 17 
			 2001 25 
			 2002 24 
			 2003 10 
			 2004 13 
			 2005 8 
			 Total 212 
			  Source: Statistics from St. George's University of London 
		
	
	Information regarding young people who have been brain damaged by volatile substance abuse in the last 10 years is not collected centrally.

Solvents: Misuse

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who sits on the stakeholder group set up under the Volatile Substance Abuse Framework.

Dawn Primarolo: A stakeholder group made up of key players in the field, was set up in December 2004 to develop and implement the National Framework for Volatile Substance Abuse. The group was revised in December 2006 to include key departments across Government. It is chaired by the Department.
	Prior to the Government machinery of changes, stakeholders included:
	Department of Health
	Home Office
	Department for Education and Skills
	Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
	Department of Trade and Industry
	National Treatment Agency
	Local Government OfficeYoung People Lead
	Plus the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Executive
	ReSolv
	Solv-It
	National Children's Bureau
	Drug Education Forum
	St. George's University of London
	British Aerosols Manufacturing Association
	Trading Standards
	SC Johnson
	Swan
	Ronson
	LP Gas Association
	Shell UK

Statins

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the side-effects of statins; and if he will make a statement on the use of statins under the new National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines.

Ann Keen: The Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with independent advice from the Commission on Human Medicines, assesses the balance of risks and benefits of all medicines at the time of initial licensing and throughout their use in clinical practice.
	The MHRA reviews new safety information as it emerges, including reports of suspected adverse drug reactions from healthcare professionals and the public, published scientific literature (including clinical trials and epidemiological studies), and periodic safety update reports from pharmaceutical companies. When necessary, the MHRA takes regulatory action to minimise risks and communicate new advice on the safe use of medicines to healthcare professionals and the public.
	Statins are generally well tolerated but, as with all medicines, side effects can occur. Serious side-effects, however, are rare. The recognised side effects of licensed medicines are listed in their product information, provided for healthcare professionals. All new medicines are now also required to have patient information leaflets which provide information on how to use the medicine, and on their side effects.
	In January 2006 the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published a health technology appraisal of statins which found that they were both clinically and costs effective for prescription to people at a 20 per cent. ten-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease, as well as for patients with established disease. That finding has been repeated in their draft guideline on lipid modification, published for consultation on 27 June.

Statins

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned into the long-term effects of the use of statins by people over the age of 50.

Ann Keen: None, although the Department has through both its policy research and health technology assessment programmes funded research concerned with the use and value of statins in health care.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support medical and clinical research. The MRC has funded studies that show cholesterol-lowering statin treatment reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes by at least one-third as well as lowering the need for arterial surgery, angioplasty and amputations.
	In particular the Heart Protection Study (HPS), funded by the MRC and the British Heart Foundation, is the biggest world-wide study of cholesterol lowering therapy. The HPS which reported in July 2002 found significant benefits of statins to people aged over 70 as well as for younger people.

Statins

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of statins in lengthening quality assured life years.

Ann Keen: Quality adjusted life years (QALYS) and life-years gained are both measures used by researchers, including the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), in evaluating the benefits of treatments and interventions.
	In January 2006 the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published a health technology appraisal of statins which found that they were both clinically and cost-effective for prescription to people at a 20 per cent. 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease, as well as for patients with established disease. That finding has been repeated in their draft guideline on lipid modification, published for consultation on 27 June.

West Sussex Primary Care Trust: Public Appointments

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects a director of public patient involvement to be appointed to the West Sussex primary care trust.

Ann Keen: The appointment of a director of public patient involvement is a matter for West Sussex primary care trust.